Plan my route into Montreal and help me avoid the highway closures

October 2, 2020 7:27 PM

I have to drive into Montreal from Ontario on Saturday. From what I can tell all the highways into the city are shut down due to construction. I need directions that will get me into the downtown core.

I'll be coming into the city from the 401. Normally, when the on ramps and off ramps are open, I'd take the Ville Marie/Centreville/Downtown/whatever-it's-called exit. From what I can tell, it looks like that's shut down.

Despite residing in the city since last fall, I never really spent any time driving the highways into and out of the city. I (embarrassingly) have no understanding of the highways and interchanges. I'm looking at the traffic closure maps, and I can't really see a good way to get off whichever highway is still open and exit into the main part of the downtown.

I'm looking to get to Sherbrooke and Drummond, but I'll gladly take general directions that will land me near Atwater or René Lesveque or Maisonneuve or Sainte-Catherine or Dr. Penfield or any other major downtown street.

posted by sardonyx to Travel & Transportation around Montreal, QC (5 answers total)

Try Waze. It's the best way we've found to keep on top of the closures (the city feeds it info).
posted by platypus of the universe at 7:45 PM on October 2, 2020 [2 favorites]

You should be able to find up to date info at Quebec511 as well:

https://www.quebec511.info/Mobile/EtatReseau/Region.aspx?Id=13000&lang=en
posted by juliebug at 9:35 PM on October 2, 2020

I agree with the above, just also be sure to note that (Montreal being a Red Zone) there may be covid checkpoints. Yesterday (as far as I've heard) they were outbound only but YMMV.
posted by mce at 3:33 AM on October 3, 2020

Best answer: Oh that is easy. You absolutely can't take a highway to downtown this weekend from the west, you need to get off early and drive through the city. I'd probably recommend just getting off at the Atwater exit on the 15 (you will be south of the canal), driving right up Atwater (there is some construction and you will need to do a u turn) and then onto Sherbrooke. You can also get off on the Sherbrooke exit of the 15 and then just drive east. I would not take the 20 and get off early, driving through St Henri is a disaster. As early as you can, switch to the 40.
posted by jeather at 5:53 AM on October 3, 2020

Response by poster: Thanks, jeather. That was really helpful.
posted by sardonyx at 4:58 PM on October 3, 2020