Champlain Bridge loses superbeam, gets steel modular truss

The Champlain Bridge is getting its superbeam removed this weekend, and that operation means some slowdowns for people driving between Montreal and the South Shore.

In the superbeams place will be a steel modular truss, which is being installed under the bridge with the help of barges -- meaning the bridge isnt completely closed like it was when they installed the superbeam last November.

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But it does mean that traffic will be slow-going over the long weekend, until Tuesday morning at 5 a.m.

Until then, two northbound lanes will remain open, while only one southbound lane will be open. The two northbound lanes will narrow to one once drivers hit Highway 15. The Hwy 15 South exit 53 to Route 132, as well as the Hwy 15 North exit 61 to Atwater will both be closed for the long weekend.

The Champlain Bridge first got its superbeam after a crack with a two-millimetre opening was discovered in the centre of a midspan beam.

The 75-tonne superbeam was installed as a temporary measure to strengthen the bridge before the steel modular truss, a less hefty alternative, could be put in this spring.

The new Champlain Bridge is supposed to be built by 2018.