Bridge to Île Mercier closed to vehicles due to flood risk

The City of Montreal announced Monday the bridge between Île Bizard and Île Mercier has been closed to vehicles due to high water levels in the Rivière des Prairies.

Quebec has been hit with flooding, which authorities have attributed to days of heavy rainfall and snowmelt accelerated by warm weather late last week. On Monday morning, 37 floods were recorded across the province.

The bridge on Louis-Roch St. was closed to vehicles from 7 p.m. Monday until further notice. It remains open to pedestrians.

“The City of Montreal urges residents to avoid the area and follow posted signs,” it wrote in an email announcement on Monday evening.

Anse-à-l’Orme Rd., between Chemin de Senneville and Timberlea-Trail St., has also been closed since 5 p.m. Sunday.

Montreal’s agglomeration council has mobilized a special intervention plan to mitigate the impact of spring flooding and protect citizens.

“Our teams are hard at work on the ground,” the city wrote in its Monday evening announcement.

The city also recommends residents to subscribe to its “notices and alerts” system to receive important information about their area via email or text message.

Residents living in flood-prone areas are encouraged to visit montreal.ca, as well as their borough or municipality’s website, for information specific to their area.

The city notes that sandbag distribution is a local initiative led by boroughs and associated towns. “Residents are therefore encouraged to contact their borough or associated town to obtain them,” and can call the city at 311 to learn more.

The Emergency Coordination Centre has posted an online map to track road conditions around Montreal. For safety reasons, the city recommends avoiding areas where roads are closed.  

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