Montreal braces for major road work this year

Montreal drivers can expect a summer of motoring headaches as Quebec continues with its long-term road work program.

The province will spend $444-million on more than 50 sites, including the Dcarie, the Anjou and Dorval interchanges, and new access routes for the MUHC superhospital.

Montreal Highways 20, 40 and 15 are also included in the 2011-2012 construction schedule, said Transport Minister Sam Hamad.

Quebec has set aside $3.9-billion for road work across the province this year.

Every effort will be made to reduce the impact on traffic, "especially in the Montreal area,"Hamad said.

Efforts will be made to schedule work outside peak hours, he said.

The road work will create about 6,000 jobs.

Quebec undertook major road work in 2008, after the deadly Concorde Overpass collapse prompted an unprecedented examination of the province's transport infrastructure.

Five people died in Sept. 2006 when the Laval overpass collapsed on cars passing below.

A provincial commission ordered after the disasterreported that Quebec neglected to properly maintain the majority of its roads and bridges, built in the last 60 years.

About 80 per cent of Quebec roads and bridges were built in the 1950s and 1960s.

2011-1012 road work stats

2000 kilometres will be upgraded.

875 structures targeted.

1645 work sites planned.