Roadwork begins today on Highway 132 bridge in the Gasp - Action News
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Montreal

Roadwork begins today on Highway 132 bridge in the Gasp

People driving between New Richmond and Maria, in the Gasp, will have access to a new detour as work begins on the region's main bridge.

Bridge over Grand Cascapedia River has been closed to traffic since May, causing 11.5-km detour

Highway 132 stretches across the Gasp peninsula and crosses over the Grand Cascapedia River. (Marika Wheeler/CBC)

Repairs to the bridge crossing over theGrandCascapdiaRiveron Highway 132, on the Gasp peninsula, will begin on Monday, nearly five months after it was closed to traffic.

Officials closed the bridge back in May during heavy spring flooding, when oneof the support pillars which stands in the rivertilted away from the bridge and caused a significant dip in the road way.

Residents, tourists and heavy truckshave sincebeen forced to make an 11.5-kilometre detour to travel between New Richmond and Maria.

The Quebec Ministry of Transport has awarded the $6.2 million contract to a local engineering firm, Sani-Sable L.B.

The work is expected to last until June 2018.

New detour for residents

Vehicles heading west towards Mariawill take a new routeas of Oct. 9.

The Ministry of Transport says this will ease traffic on MacKayRoad, the existing detour that was used all summer.

The Gasp peninsula saw major flooding last spring. In May one of the bridge's support pillars shifted, causing a depression of the road way. (Marika Wheeler/CBC)
''Westbound traffic will be redirected towardsmunicipal roads while motorists going east will follow MacKayroad,'' said spokesperson AlexandreBougie.
Bougie said another $1.6 million contract was awarded to complete paving work on this new detour.
Westbound traffic will use the new detour while vehicles going east will continue using MacKay Road, on the right. (Google maps)

With files from Radio-Canada