The closure of one of the two tubes of the Louis-Hippolyte-La Fontaine tunnel, scheduled for October 31st, is likely to cause many nightmares for those who use it. TVA Nouvelles visited the site this morning before work began.
• Also read: The La Fontaine Tunnel was closed towards Montreal over the weekend
• Also read: Louis-Hippolyte-La-Fontaine Tunnel: Three lanes closed from October 31st
This weekend, the road towards Montreal is closed due to work-related obstructions.
“In the north tube, it is currently the preparatory work that will be carried out at the end of the week where the lanes will be separated. A railing was installed (…). We’re driving 40-centimetre rods into the ground,” explains Louis-André Bertrand, spokesman for the Quebec Ministry of Transportation (MTQ).
For motorists driving through the tunnel, an innovation will be added to avoid possible accidents: markings on the ground with arrows.
“It’s a new practice that people need to adapt to. We have a mark on the ground every 30 meters and we should leave an arrow between us and the nearest vehicle. [Cette mesure] serves to avoid collisions,” he summarized.
In the event of an emergency response, the teams are ready.
“Our units will circulate within the tracks in the event of an intervention. There are breathing apparatus in vehicles in case firefighters intervene. If we need to extricate a passenger, we have tongs,” says a security manager.