History

Inaugurated on April 21, 1967, the Bonaventure Expressway was built to let motorists travel directly to the downtown core and became the main route to the Expo 67 site.

On December 21, 1978, the Corporation became responsible for the management, maintenance and monitoring of the federal section of Bonaventure Expressway.

2000-2024
2024
Launching of the new bonaventurereconstruction.ca section on JCCBI website

Visit the new bonaventurereconstruction.ca section to see this major project take shape between 2025 and 2029.

2023
Deconstruction of the Île des Sœurs Bypass Bridge

The Île des Sœurs Bypass Bridge was opened to traffic in 2014. This temporary structure was used as a detour while the new Île des Sœurs Bridge was being built for the construction of the Samuel De Champlain Bridge.

When the new Île des Sœurs bridge was commissioned on November 12, 2018, the temporary bypass bridge was disconnected from the road network. Now that it no longer needs to be used as a storage site for the deconstruction of the original Champlain Bridge or the construction of the REM, it can now be deconstructed.

December 19, 2023

Announcement of the Bonaventure Expressway reconfiguration project

The Honourable Pablo Rodriguez, Minister of Transport and Quebec Lieutenant along with JCCBI CEO Sandra Martel and Montréal Mayor Valérie Plante announce that the Bonaventure Expressway will be turned into a boulevard

2019
Research Project

In collaboration with École Polytechnique de Montréal, the Corporation carried out a research project to repair elements of this structure with ultra high-performance fibre-reinforced concrete (UHPFC).

Urban art | Montréal : voyage au fil du temps
Urban art | Montréal : voyage au fil du temps

Have you seen the magnificent three-dimensional mural under the Bonaventure Expressway? Entitled Montréal : voyage au fil du temps, this work was created by artist Stéphanie Bérubé (B.RUE.B). If you are walking or cycling in the area, you can’t miss it.

June 2016
Launch of the Solution Bonaventure environmental project

The Solution Bonaventure is an environmental project to protect the St. Lawrence river against contaminant runoff from groundwater in the Bonaventure Expressway sector.

For over 100 years, from 1866 to 1966, The shore of the St. Lawrence River in the sector of the Bonaventure Expressway was used as a landfill site for industrial and household waste. Innovative solutions have been put forward to tackle a century of pollution.

Photo. Construction of a 1.2 kilometre-long retaining wall to contain and capture PCB-contaminated hydrocarbons in the East sector (2017)

Photo. One of the 32 wells installed along the riverbank in the West sector in which the contaminated water is pumped and routed to a treatment system (2017)

1960-1999
1989

A technological park was inaugurated on this land, called the Technoparc de Montréal (now the Pointe-Saint-Charles Industrial Park). The companies Teleglobe Canada (now Tata Communications), Bell Mobilité and Mel’s Cité du Cinéma are now established there.

December 21, 1978

The Corporation becomes responsible for the management, maintenance and monitoring of the Jacques Cartier Bridge, the Champlain Bridge and a section of Bonaventure Expressway, including the Clément Bridge.

1972 to 1974

A local aerodrome dedicated to short take-off aircraft was in operation along the Bonaventure Expressway.

April 21, 1967
Inauguration of the Bonaventure Expressway

The Bonaventure Expressway was built to create a third approach to the Champlain Bridge. It let motorists travel directly to the downtown core and became the main route to the Expo 67 site.

Photo credit: Archives de la Ville de Montréal

The Clément Bridge was inaugurated at the same time as the Bonaventure Expressway.

The Port of Montreal was responsible for the Clément Bridge from 1967 to 1977, which is why it was named after M. J. A. Clément, who was a bridge superintendent for the port authority.

Photo credit: Photocopy of an extract from Le pont Champlain: une histoire photographique by Hans Van Der Aa.

1966

Construction of the Clément bridge begins.

Photo credit (left): Archives de la Ville de Montréal
Photo credit (right): Archives de la Ville de Montréal

Photo credit (left): Archives de la Ville de Montréal
Photo credit (right): Archives de la Ville de Montréal

1965

Construction of the Bonaventure Expressway begins.

Photo credit (left): Archives de la Ville de Montréal
Photo credit (right): Archives de la Ville de Montréal

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