The entire Montréal-Boston corridor is served by highways, except for the 37.9 km section of route 133 between Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu and the U.S. border. Due to the lack of a highway, local, regional, and through traffic currently uses route 133, resulting in various inconveniences for the communities along the way.
The purpose of the autoroute 35 completion project (autoroute de la Vallée-des-Forts) is to complete this essential, nearly 500 km link between Montréal and Boston and turn the autoroute 35 /Interstate 89 link into a veritable trade corridor between Québec and New England.
The goals of the autoroute 35 completion project are to :
Ensure the safety of motorists;
Complete an important highway link between Québec and the United States while increasing the mobility of people and goods;
Improve the quality of life and safety of residents living along route 133.
The new section of the four-lane highway will cross five municipalities: Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu; Saint-Alexandre and Saint-Sébastien, which are part of the MRC du Haut-Richelieu; and Saint-Pierre-de-Véronne-à-Pike-River and Saint-Armand, which are part of the MRC de Brome-Missisquoi.
Five interchanges will be built to link the highway with the local road network. They will be located in the sectors of Iberville, Saint-Alexandre, Saint Sébastien, and Saint-Armand (north and south).
The funding for this project is subject to an agreement between the governments of Canada and Québec.
Project Timetable
The project phases will be spread over several years, and will include studies, land acquisitions, relocation of utilities, preparation of plans and specifications, and government authorizations.
Work on the project began in January 2009 on the segment between route 227 in Saint-Alexandre and route 133 in Saint-Sébastien (Segment 2, see route map). The pavement structure for this 12.7 km portion is now in place. This fall MTQ will undertake the construction of the autoroute 35/route 133 interchange in the municipality of Saint-Sébastien.
At the same time, construction on a 7 km section between the municipalities of Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu (Iberville sector) and Saint-Alexandre (Segment 1) began in September. Work on another 3 km portion of this segment will be started this fall and include the construction of the Échangeur Iberville in Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, which will consist of two overpasses.
The section of the highway between Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu and route 133 in Saint-Sébastien is scheduled to open in late 2013.
The 37.9 km section is subdivided into four construction segments. Under the current plan, this entire new section of the highway is scheduled to open to traffic in 2017.
Project Cost
The cost to complete Autoroute de la Vallée-des-Forts is currently estimated at over $460 million (in 2010 dollars) according to current data based on progress to date in each project segment.
Under agreements signed in November 2007 between the governments of Canada and Québec regarding the funding of transportation infrastructure projects in Québec, part of the planned funding to complete the highway link will come from federal infrastructure investment programs: $44 million from the Canada Strategic Infrastructure Fund (CSIF) and $13 million from the Border Infrastructure Fund (BIF).
The autoroute 35 completion project will be built under a conventional approach to highway projects (segments 1 and 2). Project planning, coordination, and followup will be provided by Direction de l’Est-de-la-Montérégie of ministère des Transports. Construction work will be entrusted to private contractors.
Environnement and sustainable Development
The Québec government signed two orders-in-council on August 1, 2007. One concerns the issue of an environmental authorization certificate to ministère des Transports for the autoroute 35 completion project and the other allows MTQ to use lots or parts of lots located in agricultural zones for purposes other than agriculture.
The authorization certificate under Section 22 of the Environment Quality Act was obtained on October 20, 2008, for work on the first highway segment between Saint-Alexandre and Saint-Sébastien.
This project was also subject to an in-depth study in accordance with the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act and was approved by the competent authorities on December 11, 2008. Environmental monitoring of the autoroute 35 completion project will be conducted at every phase, from preconstruction and construction through to highway operation and maintenance.
Project Gallery
Autoroute 35 in Photos : Segment 2
Public hearings
The autoroute 35 completion project was subject to a public hearing held between November 14 and December 15, 2005. Bureau d’audiences publiques sur l’environnement (BAPE) was tasked with studying the project and released its report in May 2006.
To take into account certain findings and opinions issued by BAPE, MTQ adjusted the initial project so as to reduce its impact on the natural and agricultural environment and promote the harmonious integration of the highway section with the environment.
Information for citizens
Direction de l'Est-de-la-Montérégie
201, place Charles-Le Moyne, 5e étage
Longueuil (Québec) J4K 2T5
Phone : 450 677-3413
Fax : 450 442-1317 dtem@mtq.gouv.qc.ca
