{"id":6911,"date":"2026-07-30T15:45:00","date_gmt":"2026-07-30T20:45:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/okdiario.com\/techy\/en\/?p=6911"},"modified":"2026-07-30T09:22:28","modified_gmt":"2026-07-30T14:22:28","slug":"quebec-has-now-finished-all-46-piers-of-the-new-ile-aux-tourtes-bridge-one-of-its-biggest-projects","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/okdiario.com\/techy\/en\/quebec-has-now-finished-all-46-piers-of-the-new-ile-aux-tourtes-bridge-one-of-its-biggest-projects\/6911\/","title":{"rendered":"Quebec has now finished all 46 piers of the new \u00cele-aux-Tourtes Bridge, one of its biggest projects"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Building a major bridge over open water is hard enough. Doing it through Quebec winters, with crews working from barges while traffic continues nearby, turns every support into a test of engineering and logistics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That difficult phase has now reached a major milestone. All 46 piers for the new \u00cele-aux-Tourtes Bridge are complete, clearing the way for more deck and superstructure work as Quebec pushes toward opening the first new structure in late 2026.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A foundation on a huge scale<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

According to the project team, the piers consumed about 40,000 tons of concrete and 9,480 tons of reinforcing steel, all placed to support a crossing over Lake of Two Mountains.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Much of the job unfolded in a marine construction zone<\/a> where barges could move underfoot, access was limited, and several work phases had to be coordinated at the same time. Winter added another layer of difficulty by making heavy materials harder to handle and place safely.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Also Read: Sharjah broke ground on a Dh140 million bridge that could move 4,000 vehicles an hour<\/a><\/h4>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

On paper, a pier has a straightforward role. It transfers the weight of the deck, vehicles, wind, and other forces into the foundations below, but each support must be positioned accurately enough for the beams and deck sections to line up above it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What happens next<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The job now shifts further into the part drivers can see taking shape. In the ministry\u2019s latest monthly update, the westbound structure had 377 of 455 beams installed and 672 of 1,135 precast slabs placed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Work on the eastbound structure is less advanced, with 195 of 390 beams installed and its precast deck panels still to come. Both sides have completed their foundation piles, abutments, and piers, which means the basic support system is now in place from shore to shore.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Construction
Quebec has completed all 46 piers for the new \u00cele-aux-Tourtes Bridge, marking a major milestone for the vital highway infrastructure project.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Why does that matter? Once the piers are finished, crews can focus more consistently on the horizontal structure<\/a>, including beams, deck panels, barriers, paving, and road markings. The bridge starts looking less like a construction site in the water and more like a road.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A route that cannot afford uncertainty<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Nearly 81,000 vehicles use the existing \u00cele-aux-Tourtes Bridge every day, and about 11% of them are trucks. That makes the crossing a major link for commuters and freight moving along Highway 40 between Montreal and the Vaudreuil-Soulanges region.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The current bridge dates to the mid-1960s and continues to require regular inspections, beam and slab repairs, reinforcement, and targeted shoring. Five of its six lanes are currently open, while heavy vehicles face restrictions in the right lane in both directions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For drivers, the issue is simple. A reliable bridge can mean the difference between an ordinary trip and a long morning of brake lights, while businesses need a corridor that can carry workers and goods without repeated surprises.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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