Île Mercier bridge fully reopens after flooding forced its closure

After weeks without any vehicular link to the rest of Montreal, Île Mercier residents regained full use of their bridge Saturday.

Mid-April floodwaters in the Rivière des Prairies had forced the closure of the Île Mercier bridge, leaving residents of the small island with no link to nearby Île Bizard.

Last week, the bridge reopened to pedestrians, but remained closed to vehicles. While some residents considered the partial closure an inconvenience, others said the closure required them to stay on the mainland.

Some expressed frustration that the bridge had remained closed for so long, arguing its span was mostly dry.

The City of Montreal announced the full reopening of the bridge in a statement on behalf of the urban agglomeration of Montreal.

The agglomeration had also closed a section of Anse-à-l’Orme Rd. in Pierrefonds-Roxboro on April 19 due to high water levels. That road also reopened Saturday.

“These reopenings were made possible by a lowering of water levels, which for now allow the public to travel safely,” the statement said.

Should water levels rise again, the city warned, the closures will resume.

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