The second half of the 2023 winter semester promises to be quite chaotic for students and staff at Cégep de Sherbrooke due to the closure of the Saint-François Bridge.
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The closure of the bridge, also known as the Terril Bridge, is due to the connection work to the new Grandes Fourches Bridge. This closure is due to the construction of a roundabout at the intersection of rue Terril and rue des Grandes-Fourches.
The City of Sherbrooke Director of Urban Infrastructure, Caroline Gravel, provided an update on the progress of construction on the new Grandes Fourches Bridge, announcing that the closure will be effective from February 2023 and that it is not scheduled to reopen until next September.
23,500 vehicles use the Saint-François Bridge at the foot of Cégep de Sherbrooke every day.
“There are no mitigation measures planned other than diversions,” Ms. Gravel admitted. People can cross the river via Highway 610 or via the Aylmer Bridge (Rue King).
It’s clear that it gets messy at first, but like the other sites, it should be done after two weeks.
The director of urban infrastructure mentioned that the schedule could be shortened. “Every effort is being made to try to get everything open before the start of the school year next fall,” she said.