Historic inauguration of the Samuel De Champlain Bridge

A gateway to Montreal for generations to come

MONTREAL, June 28, 2019 /CNW/ - Today the Government of Canada inaugurated the iconic Samuel De Champlain Bridge. This bridge will provide a toll-free, safe and modern 21st century link between Montreal and the South Shore for the thousands of commuters and tourists and the billions of dollars in international trade that use this crossing every day.

The Honourable François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Infrastructure and Communities, the Honourable François Bonnardel, Quebec Minister of Transport, and Mayors Valérie Plante and Doreen Assaad from Montreal and Brossard participated in the inauguration ceremony this morning, along with over 300 guests representing the workers, project partners, residents and the business community.

Construction of the 3.4 kilometre bridge, which spans the St. Lawrence River between the communities of Montreal and Brossard took just over four years to complete and required the efforts of more than 2,000 individuals, including more than 1,600 construction workers at the height of construction activity. The new crossing, which was designed and built to last 125 years was the result of a public-private partnership between Infrastructure Canada and Signature on the St. Lawrence (SSL).

In addition to the eight Canadian and international businesses that comprise the private consortium selected to design, build, operate and maintain the Samuel De Champlain Bridge Corridor over the 30 year contract period, the project also provided important economic opportunities for dozens of enterprises across Quebec and Canada.

Quote  

"This is a historic day for the Greater Montreal region, Quebec and Canada. After four years of monumental work, today we officially marked the opening of the magnificent Samuel De Champlain Bridge. An essential link for a modern and efficient transportation network in the Montreal metropolitan area, the bridge will meet both current and future mobility needs of its users. At the heart of today's celebration are the workers who dedicated millions of hours to the construction of this incredible structure. The bridge will be a legacy for this generation and those to come for the next 125 years. Without a doubt, the workers are the heroes of this project!"

The Honourable François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Infrastructure and Communities 

Quick facts 

• On the same date, June 28, 1962, the current Champlain Bridge opened to traffic.
• The Samuel De Champlain Bridge is 3.4 kilometres long and consists of two traffic corridors with three lanes in each direction, a central corridor dedicated to public transit?the future Réseau express métropolitain train?and a multi-use path for cyclists and pedestrians.
• Statistics on the Samuel De Champlain Bridge worksite:
• 8,431,504 hours worked;
• 1,600 workers on site during the peak period of fall 2018; and
• Trades: installers/assemblers, specialized labourers, carpenters, crane operators, painters, shovel operators, ironworkers and surveyors.
• Annual figures about the Champlain Bridge:
• Approximately 50 million crossings;
• International trade valued at $20 billion;
• 11 million public transit users.

Associated links 

To learn more about the new Champlain Bridge Project: https://www.infrastructure.gc.ca/nbsl-npsl/index-eng.html http://www.newchamplain.ca/

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SOURCE Infrastructure Canada