Major Closure on Highway 40 Between Berthierville and Lanoraie
The weekend brought a major disruption for drivers in Quebec as Highway 40 westbound was shut down between Berthierville and Lanoraie. The closure, which began Saturday evening, was announced by the Ministry of Transport and Sustainable Mobility. According to officials, the cause is the collapse of a culvert located between Rang de la Rivière-Bayonne Sud and Chemin de Joliette in Lanoraie. Because of that structural problem, the entire stretch of highway in that area has been closed off for an indefinite period.
For now, traffic is being diverted onto Route 138. That detour adds about 21 kilometers to the trip, compared to the usual 14 kilometers that drivers would normally cover on the highway. The issue is that Route 138 is not really built to handle such a high volume of traffic, which means delays and congestion are almost unavoidable. Many drivers who were caught off guard last night found themselves either stuck in slow-moving traffic or scrambling to find an alternate way around.
Also Read:- Connolly Shines as Australia Crush South Africa in Record ODI Win
- Everton and Brighton Set for Historic Clash at Hill Dickinson Stadium
The Ministry has said that preliminary work needs to be carried out before a temporary solution can be put in place. The plan is to eventually set up a contraflow system—essentially using lanes from the eastbound side of Highway 40 so that one lane in each direction can be made available. However, no specific timeline has been given for when that setup might be ready. For the moment, drivers simply have to deal with the detour.
For longer trips—particularly for those traveling between Trois-Rivières and Montreal—the Ministry is recommending Highway 20 as the safer and faster option. It’s expected that congestion on Route 138 will continue as long as the closure is in effect. To help ease the pressure, all four lanes of the Laviolette Bridge in Trois-Rivières will remain open, making it easier for drivers to connect directly to Highway 20.
Updates about the closure are being posted on the Québec 511 website, which is the best source for real-time road conditions. Authorities are urging drivers to check there before heading out, especially if they are traveling through the Lanaudière region.
Local reactions have been mixed. Some motorists said they were relieved to have left early enough to avoid the worst of the traffic, but many others admitted they were unprepared and unsure of which route to take. One driver heading back to Saint-Hubert noted that the return trip on Sunday evening could be much more difficult because of the heavy congestion that’s expected.
What is clear is that this closure has created a major headache for anyone traveling westbound on Highway 40. With no clear end date yet, patience is going to be required. In the meantime, drivers are being reminded to stay alert, plan extra time, and make use of alternate routes whenever possible.
Read More:
0 Comments