$400M deconstruction of the old Champlain Bridge expected to take 3 years

The old Champlain Bridge is coming down.

With construction of the Samuel De Champlain Bridge nearing completion, the Government of Canada announced that The Jacques Cartier and Champlain Bridges Incorporated (JCCBI) has been selected to oversee the deconstruction of the old link between the island of Montreal and the South Shore.

The massive dismantling project is expected to take three years, according to the press release and comes with an estimated price tag of $400 million.

Deconstruction work will begin “in the months following the opening of the Samuel De Champlain Bridge.”

See also

• Opening of the new Champlain Bridge just got pushed back another 6 months
• The Champlain Bridge officially has a new name
• Crown corporation reassures Montreal that the Champlain Bridge is safe
• A crucial stretch of Angrignon Boulevard is closing down for a year

Work crews will attempt to recover and reuse some of the material from the old bridge, which opened in 1962. The Champlain Bridge is one of the most heavily-used single span bridges in the country.

Champlain Bridge/Shutterstock

“Given its mandate, The Jacques Cartier and Champlain Bridges Incorporated is best positioned to undertake the deconstruction of the Champlain Bridge,” says François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Infrastructure and Communities. “Given its extensive knowledge of the current Champlain Bridge, its engineering expertise and its existing relationships with stakeholders. I am also confident that JCCBI will exercise sound stewardship of public funds while ensuring the safety of operations during the project.”

The newly named Samuel de Champlain Bridge was originally slated to open on December 1, 2018, but was pushed back to December 21. It has since been pushed back to June 30, 2019.