Montreal's Highway 40 Is Getting More Construction Because They Screwed It Up In 2021

You may remember that Montreal's Highway 40 was partially repaved in 2021, putting an end to construction on the dreadful roaring concrete rampart for the foreseeable future.

Haha, just kidding.

Construction crews are going to have to once again take to the autoroute after Quebec's Ministry of Transport (MTQ) discovered deficiencies linked to a contractor's use of suboptimal asphalt. That same contractor is now responsible for carrying out what the ministry described as "corrective interventions."

While it assured the faulty asphalt doesn't pose a risk to drivers, sections of the highway could be prone to "premature wear" without these corrective measures.

Work will take place during "weekend blitzes" this spring and summer. The ministry will communicate schedules ahead of time.

It assured that this construction will be at the contractor's expense.

In addition to corrective work on the highway between boulevard Provencher (in Saint-Léonard) and boulevard Saint-Laurent, road surface improvement work will resume on the westbound section between chemin Canora (in the Town of Mont-Royal) and chemin de la Côte-de-Liesse (in Saint-Laurent).

As for penalties, the contractor will have to pay $820,000 to the ministry, which is also withholding a $2.9 million payment until work is done.

Built in the '60s, the 12-kilometre stretch of Highway 40 between Highway 520 and boulevard Provencher has been undergoing major construction since 2019, including repairs to its concrete structures, new lighting and guardrails, and work on its drainage system.

According to the MTQ, it carries 180,000 vehicles every day, 13% of which are defined as "heavy vehicles."