Montreal roadwork goes into overdrive just in time for back-to-school

This fall, you can expect more of the same when it comes to the location of your traffic woes, but the time of day you will run into congestion may change.

Quebec's Transport Ministry has decided to do most major roadwork at night and on weekends in response to ongoing public outcry, said spokesperson Sarah Bensadoun.

Commuters have been complainingabout the timing of work, demanding itnot be done during rush hour and the ministry is responding, she said.

"This way we can limit repercussions on the commute."

More than 80 per cent of the Turcot Interchange work is done and, while there aren't any new large-scale projects starting soon, roadwork already underway in key areas will go into overdrive before winter.

Bensadoun saidthe installation of new public transportation infrastructure is also causing delays.

Highway 40 hot spot

Commuters who rely on Highway 40 to get across Montreal know it's rarely smooth sailing, but it may be particularly bad this fall as there is a cluster of work sites around the Highway 13 interchange that will be busy.

Lane reductions and redirections will be coupled with work on the surrounding service roads.

"Highway 40 will be the hot spot for the next few months," saidBensadoun.

There willalso be slowdowns on the westbound le-aux-TourtesBridge, with one lane toward Montreal closing permanently and others intermittently.

To the east, construction of the light-rail network and renovations to an overpass at the intersection of Highway 40 and Henri-Bourassa Boulevard will also cause delays.

Delays across city

Throughout the city, there are a number of projects planned, affecting roadways from Saint-Lonard to the Sud-Ouest borough.

Work along roads such as Pie-IX Boulevard that have been snarling traffic all summer will, at times, be the cause of even more delays and detours this fall.

• 'The worst is behind us:' Major ramps set to reopen on Turcot Interchange

Drivers can also expect slowdowns on Highway 15 from the 40 to the Champlain Bridge, the Ville-Marie Expressway, and of course, thebridges, including the Champlain, Mercier, Jacques Cartierand La Fontaine.