Quebec to build new Mercier Bridge for Montreal city

The Canadian province of Quebec plans to build a US$219 million bridge across the St Lawrence River alongside the existing Mercier Bridge in the city of Montreal. Provincial government cabinet ministers Pierre Moreau and Geoff Kelley confirmed that a new bridge is forthcoming, but gave schedule for procurement or construction start, according to local media. However, Moreau said the work will begin probably before the new Champlain Bridge is finished at the start of 2019. Construction of the new Champlain B
May 12, 2017 Read time: 3 mins
The Canadian province of Quebec plans to build a US$219 million bridge across the St Lawrence River alongside the existing Mercier Bridge in the city of Montreal.


Provincial government cabinet ministers Pierre Moreau and Geoff Kelley confirmed that a new bridge is forthcoming, but gave schedule for procurement or construction start, according to local media. However, Moreau said the work will begin probably before the new Champlain Bridge is finished at the start of 2019.

Construction of the new Champlain Bridge began in June 2015, with opening scheduled for December 2018.

The aging Mercier bridge has suffered major repairs since 2013.

"The bridge is safe, but it will require until it's replacement $100 million of upkeep work. It's obvious we have to do something else than just upkeep the bridge," Moreau reportedly said.

The initial bridge, just under 1km long, was opened in 1934 and then twinned by construction of a second span adjacent in 1963. It crosses the St. Lawrence River and accompanying Seaway canals on the western side of the Island of Montreal to connect the Montreal borough of LaSalle with the Mohawk reserve of Kahnawake and the city suburb of Châteauguay on the south shore of the Saint Lawrence River.

The bridge is named after former premier of Quebec province, Honoré Mercier. An estimated 30 million vehicles use the bridge annually.

Last month, the 2880 Jacques Cartier and Champlain Bridges Incorporated (JCCBI), the federal Canadian agency that oversees several major road infrastructure assets in the city including the Mercier Bridge, said that tearing down the old steel truss cantilever Champlain Bridge could cost around US$300 million.

Also, until the nearby new Champlain Bridge is finished, it will cost US$93 million annually to maintain the old one, according to JCCBI. Dismantling of the structure that opened in 1962 will start in 2019 at the earliest and could take up to four years.

3260 World Highways reported in 2015 that the Canadian government had awarded the multi-billion-dollar contract for the Champlain Bridge to a consortium led by SNC-Lavalin under a 35-year public-private partnership. The consortium called Signature on the Saint-Lawrence Group includes Spanish firms 4761 Dragados Canada and 917 ACS Infrastructures and the US firm 2758 Flatiron Construction. Other members are MMM Group, T.Y. Lin International, International Bridge Technologies Canada and 981 Hochtief PPP Solutions.

Road Structures

Related Content

  • The Mersey Gateway bridge project continues on schedule
    October 18, 2016
    Work continues on the 2.3km Mersey Gateway signature bridge project close to Liverpool in the UK. David Arminas reports on some of the construction highlights. Under construction is a cable-stayed structure with three towers that will span the Mersey River’s expansive mud flats between the towns of Runcorn and Widnes near Liverpool. Including the approach viaducts on each side, it will be 2.3km long with a river span of 1km. The main bridge deck will be reinforced concrete. The 80m-high central tower will b
    Read More
  • Latin America invests in infrastructure growth
    February 15, 2012
    Travelling in one of the world's most diverse regions is not always easy, but spectacular engineering feats will make life easier as Patrick Smith reports. Five years ago a report from the World Bank noted that infrastructure in most of Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) had improved over the previous ten years.
    Read More
  • Consorcio Panama Cuarto Puente wins fourth Panama bridge contract
    August 1, 2018
    Panama has decided to award a contract for the design and construction of a fourth bridge over the Panama Canal to Consorcio Panama Cuarto Puente. China Communications Construction Company and its subsidiary China Harbour Engineering Company are heading up the consortium for the US$1.42 billion project. Other consortia that put in bids included Dragados Sucursal Panamá and Astaldi-Daelim. News agencies report that the government initially chose the Chinese consortium in June but the final award was
    Read More
  • VIDEO: Foran Equipment helps Kananaskis kayakers construct course
    April 27, 2016
    In the Canadian Rocky Mountains, there was a window of opportunity of only several days before these excavators had to be out of the Kananaskis River ahead of nearby Barrier Dam releasing its water. The provincial Alberta Whitewater Association hired local contractor Foran Equipment to bring in their equipment in to re-work the riverbed after severe flooding in June 2013 washed out the kayaking courses. Southern parts of Alberta province suffered severe storms and massive flooding that month which devastate
    Read More

Highlighted Content