Tough weekend ahead for Montreal-area drivers

Road work and two major cycling events are going to hamper travel on and off the island of Montreal this weekend.

Nearly every bridge between Montreal and the South Shore will be undergoing some kind of repair, causing partial closures on some of the spans.

The access ramp to the Mercier Bridge in La Prairie on the South Shore will be closed as of 9:30 a.m. Friday overnight.

Several lanes on the Champlain Bridge will also be shut down because of scheduled construction to replace expansion joints, starting Friday night.

The federal bridge corporation is considering opening a fifth lane on the Jacques-Cartier Bridge to alleviate traffic jams.

Several main arteries on the island of Montreal will also be closed Friday evening and Sunday for the Tour la Nuit and theTour de l'le, respectively.

The Tour la Nuit is a 20-kilometre car-free route through downtown Montreal and along the Lachine Canal. The tour gets underwayFriday night at 8:30 p.m.

The Tour de l'le is a 52-kilometre croute that starts at Park Avenue, circles the mountain and loops around the Lachine Canal on Sunday. The tour starts at 9:15 a.m.

Thousands of people have registered for both events.

ROAD CLOSURES

Champlain Bridge

• One lane open in each direction from Friday June 3 at 10 p.m. to Saturday June 4 at 2 a.m.
• One lane open to Montreal, and two lanes open to the South Shore, from Saturday June 4 at 2 a.m. to Monday June 6 at 5 a.m.

Mercier Bridge

• One lane open in each direction from Friday June 3 at 10 p.m. to Saturday June 4 at 10 a.m.
• Bonaventure Expressway (in the Pierre-Dupuy Avenue sector, exit 2).
• Pierre-Dupuy Avenue sector, exit 2 will be closed from Friday June 3 at 11 p.m. to Saturday June 4 at 9 a.m., and from Saturday June 4 at midnight to Sunday June 5 at 9 a.m.
• Detour route is available near the exit, and service road.

Wellington Street at Victoria Bridge

• The street is closed Sunday June 5 from 9:35 a.m. to 4:15 p.m.

Tour la Nuit

• Consult this map for Friday night's Tour La Nuit road closures.

Tour de l'le

• Consult this map for Sunday's Tour de l'le road closures.