Silver Lining in Mercier Bridge Emergency Closure, but Why Not Before Now?

[Elmer]

The troubled Mercier Bridge is slated to be back to "normal" on
September 6th, but commuters will actually be better served than
before the emergency closure of its southbound span a few months ago.
All of the traffic mitigating improvements rapidly put into place will
be maintained, including six additional commuter trains, extra busses
with longer reserved lanes for them, and more parking at commuter rail
stations. Other "no-brainer" ideas that have been implemented include
better use of the contraflow lanes on the Cartier Bridge, and use of
the Ice Bridge for return-cycling empty busses during rush hour.
People are rightly wondering, since all of these improvements were
made in virtually no time at all, why weren't they done before now?

Full story at The Gazette:
http://www.montrealgazette.com/news/Mercier+Bridge+back+normal+Sept/5281257/story.html

Situations like this probably exist everywhere; there are lots of
quick and easy improvements that could be made, but TPTB never think
about them until there's a crisis.

Elmer

[Jimmy]

Post by Elmer
The troubled Mercier Bridge is slated to be back to "normal" on
September 6th, but commuters will actually be better served than
before the emergency closure of its southbound span a few months ago.

I recently used the Mercier heading south, shortly before it was fully
reopened. There was no delay at all, though there was a backup
getting onto the northbound bridge. QC 132 moved well at first,
despite a mistimed traffic light at an empty side street. Signs said
to continue on 132 to get to A-30 east or A-15 south, and labeled
A-730 simply as A-30 west. I hadn't refreshed my memory of the area
ahead of time, so I stayed on 132, which had some slow traffic lights
at shopping centers further east.

I also ended up on A-15, instead A-10 to A-35 like I planned. (I
guess it's unreasonable to expect signs for Vermont on 132, like there
are on the Champlain Bridge.) Getting from I-87 to I-89 through New
York and Vermont was rather slow. Are there faster local roads on the
Quebec side?

And is it worth being treated suspiciously at a small border crossing,
which they assume you aren't supposed to know about? My excuse would
be that Google Maps told me to go that way, since it won't route you
across the US 2 bridge for some reason.

Post by Elmer
use of the Ice Bridge for return-cycling empty busses during rush hour.

Interesting, but how much does that help? The Ice Bridge ends at the
Seaway jetty, so the buses still have to go to or from the jetty-South
Shore bridge about 7 miles upstream.

Other road observations: Why is the 116-134 route to the Cartier
Bridge not designated an Autoroute, when it's fully controlled access
and grade separated? And why is A-19 on Montreal Island designated an
Autoroute when it has traffic lights?

The A-35 extension to the border is being constructed. There was a
bit of a wait to use a one lane section of 133 where the A-35 overpass
is being built. If I had known, I would have planned an alternate
route.

Jimmy