Bonaventure Expressway transformation to begin this fall

Key Takeaways:

• Major transformation of Bonaventure Expressway begins in September 2025, converting it into a green urban boulevard with completion expected by 2029.
• $282 million project includes a shoreline green corridor featuring 32,000 new plants, a 2.5 km year-round multi-use path, and measures to protect the St. Lawrence River.
• Traffic capacity and flow will be maintained, with at least two lanes open in each direction during construction and a reduced speed limit to improve safety.

The Whole Story:

A major overhaul of the Bonaventure Expressway is set to begin this September, as federal Crown corporation The Jacques Cartier and Champlain Bridges Incorporated (JCCBI) launches work to convert the highway into an urban boulevard with a strong focus on green space and active transportation.

Site mobilization will begin in late August, with the full reconfiguration expected to take until 2029. The project comes with a total price tag of $282 million, of which $156.2 million is allocated for construction. Quebec-based firm Duroking Construction has been awarded the contract following a public procurement process.

JCCBI said at least two lanes in each direction will remain open throughout the construction period to keep traffic moving on one of Montreal’s key roadways.

The transformation will see the expressway’s footprint reduced as traffic lanes are moved farther from the St. Lawrence River, making way for an 80,000-square-metre green corridor along the shoreline. The corridor will feature public spaces, landscaped areas, and year-round active mobility infrastructure, including a 2.5-kilometre pedestrian promenade and multi-use path connecting the West Island and South Shore to the Old Port and downtown core.

“We are delighted to reach this milestone in a journey that began several years ago,” said JCCBI CEO Sandra Martel, noting the project emerged from a participatory planning process launched in 2019 that included consultations with nearly 30 public interest groups.

As part of the redevelopment, nearly 32,000 trees, shrubs and perennials will be planted, with landscaping designed to enhance biodiversity and reduce urban heat islands by 40 per cent. The project will also maintain or expand existing environmental initiatives, such as the Solution Bonaventure program, which has been treating contaminated groundwater along the shoreline since 2016.

While the speed limit will be reduced to 50 km/h to improve pedestrian safety, road capacity will remain at three lanes in each direction. Three new signalized intersections will also be added to improve access and safety along the corridor.

The Bonaventure Expressway currently handles more than 20 million trips annually and connects downtown Montreal with the Port of Montreal, Highway 15, and the Samuel De Champlain Bridge.