No. H135/12
For release - December 17, 2012
Beauharnois, December 17, 2012 – The Honourable Denis Lebel, Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities and Minister of the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec, Mr. Sylvain Gaudreault, Québec Minister of Transport and Minister of Municipal Affairs, Regions and Land Occupancy, Ms. Marie Malavoy, Minister responsible for the Montérégie region, and Mr. Denis Léonard, General Manager of Nouvelle Autoroute 30, s.e.n.c. (NA-30), today inaugurated the Western section of autoroute 30, which has been built through a public-private partnership. The long-awaited 42-kilometre stretch of road completes this major highway project. The new infrastructure connects autoroute 20 and autoroute 40 in Vaudreuil-Dorion to the existing autoroute 30 in Châteauguay. Since December 15, it allows highway users to travel on autoroute 30 all the way from Vaudreuil-Dorion to Sorel-Tracy.
The Western section includes several large works such as the tunnel under the Soulanges canal, pont Serge-Marcil over the St. Lawrence, and a bridge over canal de Beauharnois. Tolls will be collected at the north end of pont Serge-Marcil; vehicles that do not have a transponder (decal) for electronic payment will stop to pay at a toll booth.
Work to complete the Western section of autoroute 30 began in spring 2009 and it was done according to established costs and deadlines. The cost of the project is $1.5 billion (in 2008 dollars). This includes funding, conception and construction, as well as maintenance and operation of autoroute 30 from Vaudreuil-Dorion to boulevard Matte, in Brossard, for the next 30 years.
“The Government of Canada is proud to have invested $704.5 million for the completion of the Western section of autoroute 30,” said the Honourable Denis Lebel, Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities. “This new corridor will reduce traffic congestion in and around Montréal, improve access to markets in Ontario, the Maritimes and the United States, and greatly contribute to the economic growth in Montérégie, in Montréal and across Québec.”
“We are very proud to be inaugurating the last stretch of autoroute 30 today. This axial highway is vitally important to the region’s residents, but also to the entire metropolitan area. This new road infrastructure gives all users an optional alternative route and it integrates existing highways in a road system that will perform better than ever,” said Mr. Sylvain Gaudreault, Québec Minister of Transport.
“Today, we can say mission accomplished. Within planned delays – four years and three months –, Nouvelle Autoroute 30 s.e.n.c., owned by Acciona and ACS Infrastructures now known as A30 Express, has designed and built 42 kilometres of a highway as well as 30 bridges, including two major bridges. This great accomplishment became a reality thanks to the exceptional contribution of managers and workers and of passionate and determined individuals. For the next 30 years, A30 Express will be responsible for the management, maintenance and rehabilitation of more than 73 kilometres of autoroute 30. We will meet this new challenge with success”, said Mr. Denis Léonard, General Manager of NA-30 and Director of the public-private partnership project to complete autoroute 30.
“Autoroute 30 is more than a bypass road; it’s an economic lever for Montérégie. It will significantly improve access to the region and thus bring in major investment over the coming years,” said Ms. Marie Malavoy, Minister responsible for the Montérégie region.
The project to complete autoroute 30 also included the construction of the Eastern portion between Saint-Constant and Candiac (opened in November 2010) and the Jean-Leman stretch (opened in November 2011). This work was carried out by the ministère des Transports du Québec using the traditional approach.
To reach A30 Express: www.a30express.com or 514-782-0800.
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