Pierre Le Gardeur Bridge
Encyclopedia
The Le Gardeur Bridge is a beam bridge
that connects the east end of the island of Montreal
(borough of Pointe-aux-trembles, district of the pointe-aux-prairies) to Charlemagne, Quebec
.
The bridge has two different sections across the Rivière des Prairies
which are separated by Île Bourdon. The length of the two structures is 297 meters (west) and 565 meters (east).
Built in 1939, the bridge underwent a major reconstruction in 2001 as well as the addition of a reserved lane
for the Metrobus on the eastern structure. The work included the demolition, reconstruction and widening of the bridge deck
(that included the new transit lane) and its approaches as well as the rehabilitation of the 24 pillar
s. The Quebec Ministry of Transportation also made emergency repairs in 1999 to solidify the structure while frequent inspections were made between 1999 and the reconstruction of the bridge which was estimated at over $26 million.
The bridge is part of Quebec Route 138
, which runs from the Canadian
-US
border southwest of Huntingdon
to the Côte-Nord
region via Trois-Rivières
and Quebec City
. It is one of only two river crossings at the eastern tip of Montreal to the Lanaudière region (Repentigny
, Charlemagne
and Lavaltrie
areas), the other being the Charles de Gaulle Bridge
on Quebec Autoroute 40
.
Each day, approximatively 20,000 vehicles use the bridge, which is an alternative route to the more congested Charles de Gaulle Bridge during rush hours. The road has two lanes of traffic in each direction, together with sidewalks and a bicycle lane/path. On both sides of the bridge it is known as Rue Notre-Dame but immediately after crossing the bridge, westbound Route 138 turns into Sherbrooke Street
via a new roundabout
through most of the eastern half of the island including downtown Montreal
.
A railway bridge used for Via Rail
train service is located just west of the Pierre Le Gardeur Bridge.
The bridge is named after Pierre Legardeur (1600–1648), former New France
general and the first lord of Repentigny.
Beam (structure)
A beam is a horizontal structural element that is capable of withstanding load primarily by resisting bending. The bending force induced into the material of the beam as a result of the external loads, own weight, span and external reactions to these loads is called a bending moment.- Overview...
that connects the east end of the island of Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
(borough of Pointe-aux-trembles, district of the pointe-aux-prairies) to Charlemagne, Quebec
Charlemagne, Quebec
Charlemagne is an off-island suburb of Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It is located on the north shore of the Rivière des Prairies, northeast of Montreal's downtown core. As of 2006, the population was 5,594....
.
The bridge has two different sections across the Rivière des Prairies
Rivière des Prairies
The Rivière des Prairies is a delta channel of the Ottawa River in southwestern Quebec, Canada....
which are separated by Île Bourdon. The length of the two structures is 297 meters (west) and 565 meters (east).
Built in 1939, the bridge underwent a major reconstruction in 2001 as well as the addition of a reserved lane
Bus lane
A bus lane or bus only lane is a lane restricted to buses, and generally used to speed up public transport that would be otherwise held up by traffic congestion...
for the Metrobus on the eastern structure. The work included the demolition, reconstruction and widening of the bridge deck
Deck (bridge)
A bridge deck or road bed is the roadway, or the pedestrian walkway, surface of a bridge. It is not to be confused with any deck of a ship.The deck may be of concrete,wood which in turn may be covered with asphalt concrete or other pavement...
(that included the new transit lane) and its approaches as well as the rehabilitation of the 24 pillar
Column
A column or pillar in architecture and structural engineering is a vertical structural element that transmits, through compression, the weight of the structure above to other structural elements below. For the purpose of wind or earthquake engineering, columns may be designed to resist lateral forces...
s. The Quebec Ministry of Transportation also made emergency repairs in 1999 to solidify the structure while frequent inspections were made between 1999 and the reconstruction of the bridge which was estimated at over $26 million.
The bridge is part of Quebec Route 138
Quebec route 138
Route 138 is a major highway in the Canadian province of Quebec, following the entire north shore of the Saint Lawrence River past Montreal to the eastern terminus in Natashquan on the Gulf of Saint Lawrence. The western terminus is in Elgin, at the border with New York State south-west of Montreal...
, which runs from the Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
-US
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
border southwest of Huntingdon
Huntingdon, Quebec
Huntingdon is a small town in Huntingdon County in the Haut-Saint-Laurent Regional County Municipality and the Montérégie region of the province of Quebec, Canada. The population as of the Canada 2006 Census was 2,587...
to the Côte-Nord
Côte-Nord
Côte-Nord is the second largest administrative region by land area in Quebec, Canada, after Nord-du-Québec...
region via Trois-Rivières
Trois-Rivières
Trois-Rivières means three rivers in French and may refer to:in Canada*Trois-Rivières, the largest city in the Mauricie region of Quebec, Canada*Circuit Trois-Rivières, a racetrack in Trois-Rivières, Quebec...
and Quebec City
Quebec City
Quebec , also Québec, Quebec City or Québec City is the capital of the Canadian province of Quebec and is located within the Capitale-Nationale region. It is the second most populous city in Quebec after Montreal, which is about to the southwest...
. It is one of only two river crossings at the eastern tip of Montreal to the Lanaudière region (Repentigny
Repentigny, Quebec
Repentigny is an off-island suburb of Montreal, in the province of Quebec, located north of Montreal, on the lower end of the L'Assomption River and on the Saint Lawrence River. Repentigny and Charlemagne are the first towns off the island of Montreal.-History:...
, Charlemagne
Charlemagne, Quebec
Charlemagne is an off-island suburb of Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It is located on the north shore of the Rivière des Prairies, northeast of Montreal's downtown core. As of 2006, the population was 5,594....
and Lavaltrie
Lavaltrie, Quebec
Lavaltrie is a city located within the D'Autray Regional County Municipality in the southern part of the region of Lanaudière, Quebec, Canada, northeast of Montreal outside of the suburban sprawl of the northern crown...
areas), the other being the Charles de Gaulle Bridge
Charles de Gaulle Bridge
The Charles de Gaulle Bridge is a bridge that links the eastern tip of the island of Montreal, Quebec over the Rivière des Prairies to the Lanaudière region near the city of Charlemagne...
on Quebec Autoroute 40
Quebec Autoroute 40
Autoroute 40 is a major highway on the north shore of the St. Lawrence River in Quebec, Canada. It is one of the two main connections between Montreal and Quebec City...
.
Each day, approximatively 20,000 vehicles use the bridge, which is an alternative route to the more congested Charles de Gaulle Bridge during rush hours. The road has two lanes of traffic in each direction, together with sidewalks and a bicycle lane/path. On both sides of the bridge it is known as Rue Notre-Dame but immediately after crossing the bridge, westbound Route 138 turns into Sherbrooke Street
Sherbrooke Street
Sherbrooke Street is a major east-west artery and at in length, is the second longest street on the Island of Montreal. The street begins in the town of Montreal West and ends on the extreme tip of the island in Pointe-aux-Trembles, intersecting Gouin Boulevard and joining up with Notre-Dame...
via a new roundabout
Roundabout
A roundabout is the name for a road junction in which traffic moves in one direction around a central island. The word dates from the early 20th century. Roundabouts are common in many countries around the world...
through most of the eastern half of the island including downtown Montreal
Downtown Montreal
Downtown Montreal is the central business district of Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It is nearly enitirely located at the southern most slope of Mount Royal and is approximately bounded by Sherbrooke Street to the north, Papineau Avenue to the east, Guy Street or until Shaughnessy Village to the west,...
.
A railway bridge used for Via Rail
VIA Rail
Via Rail Canada is an independent crown corporation offering intercity passenger rail services in Canada. It is headquartered near Montreal Central Station at 3 Place Ville-Marie in Montreal, Quebec....
train service is located just west of the Pierre Le Gardeur Bridge.
The bridge is named after Pierre Legardeur (1600–1648), former New France
New France
New France was the area colonized by France in North America during a period beginning with the exploration of the Saint Lawrence River by Jacques Cartier in 1534 and ending with the cession of New France to Spain and Great Britain in 1763...
general and the first lord of Repentigny.
See also
- List of bridges spanning the Rivière des Prairies
- List of crossings of the Rivière des Prairies