Spring flood: Back to work on Monday – Use public transit and car sharing

Gatineau, April 28, 2019. – The water accumulation has forced several detours and street and bridge closures throughout the territory. Gatineau, Quebec's Ministère des transports and the Société de transport de l'Outaouais (STO) have been working together to minimize the impact on residents' travel.

In order to reduce road traffic, residents are asked to limit their travel and opt for car sharing or public transit over the next few days.

Main impact on traffic

The closure of the Chaudières Bridge will have a significant impact on traffic. The Chaudières Bridge has been closed since 6 a.m. today, and will remain so until further notice. Signs have been set up, showing the detour through an alternative route.

Other traffic delays to be prepared for:

●	Boulevard Fournier: rockfill has been laid over the past few days to protect this main artery - Two lanes will be open in each direction during peak periods. - Residents are asked to adjust their travel speed accordingly.

●	Pont Alonzo: a contingency plan has been set in place for peak periods from Monday to Friday near the bridge: - from 5:30 to 9:30 a.m., traffic will be one-way in the Hull sector direction; and - from 3 to 6:30 p.m. traffic will be one-way in the Gatineau sector direction.

●	Pont Boyce near Rivière Blanche: closed for safety considerations. - detours and signs have been set up; - police vehicles are positioned at the two extremities to ensure the safety of local traffic and of the bridge.

The street closures are changing hourly. For a real-time map of road conditions, go to gatineau.ca/flood.

Quick facts

●	The bike paths are flooded in several places. If you are thinking of biking or walking on them, first check the map at gatineau.ca/flood to find out what is accessible.

●	If you must drive somewhere, be prudent and patient. Follow the signs and respect the reserved lanes and police officers' instructions.

●	Expect to see more and more emergency response vehicles on the roads. The safety of residents remains our priority.

●	Gatineau thanks the public for not driving in the flooded areas unless absolutely necessary. This is in the interest of facilitating operations and out of respect for the affected residents.

Flood victims

●	Gatineau has assigned parking for residents evacuating their homes. The list of alternative parking is available at gatineau.ca/flood.

●	As of 11:45 a.m. today, 1300 people have registered with Gatineau as flood victims, including 1093 adults and 207 children for a total of 618 households.

●	As of 6 a.m. today, of those 618 households, 159 are being housed in hotels by the Red Cross.

Spring flood

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