Champlain Bridge open again

Drivers in the Montreal area faced more traffic chaos Thursday morning after authorities shut down two island-bound lanes on the Champlain Bridge.

The lanes were closed to traffic around 8 a.m. after a large pothole above a bridge joint was reported.

Transport Quebec insisted the hole isn't a structural problem but simply a hazard for drivers.

"The hole is big enough that a car can be stuck there, its wheels can be stuck there so we don't want to take any chances," said Jean-Vincent Lacroix, spokesman for the Champlain Bridge Corporation.

The lanes were reopened at 10:30 a.m. after the pothole was covered by a large steel plate.

That temporary measure will remain in place until a work crew can repair the pothole, ideally overnight or on the weekend.