St-Jacques overpass work means limited weekend access to Dcarie Expressway

Drivers who rely on theDcarieExpressway will have a tough time getting around for at least two weekends in July.

The St-Jacques overpass willbe torn down in stages, starting the weekend ofJuly 9. That work will continue the following weekendand possibly the weekend after that.

During that time, numerous access points to the Dcarie, including all ramps to and from the Turcot Interchange, will be closed.

"There is one simple thing to do.That would be to avoid completely the Dcarie area," saidTransportsQuebec spokeswomanSarahBensadoun.

"Dismantling a bridge is not easy.It's very, very complicated.There are security issues.We cannot leave the lanes open while we are doing the work simply because we cannot guarantee the safety for road users,"Bensadounsaid.

Specifically, the entrances and exitsthat will be off-limits are:

• Access to and from the Champlain Bridge.
• Access to and from Highway 20 (Turcot Yards).
• Access to and from the Ville-Marie Expressway.
• TheRoyalmount, Jean-Talon, Cte-St-Luc and Girouard entrances as well as the exit from Highway 40 East for the southboardDcarie.

The overpass is being torn downas part of the reconstruction of theTurcotInterchange.

St-Jacques Street has been closed betweenDcarieBoulevard andGirouardAvenue for preparatory work since March 2015.