Quebec outlook

[oscar]

Autoroute 720 in Montreal is being downgraded to a western QC 136. That could happen upon completion of reconstruction of the Turcot interchange with A-15/20, and part of existing A-720, which could be in 2019 or 2020.

The A-720 route file could use some recentering and perhaps truncation (an official map, and GMSV, suggest A-720 ends short of Pont Jacques-Cartier). But I would defer most changes until A-720 becomes QC 136, after all the reconstruction is completed and QC 136 perhaps gets a new endpoint. In the meantime, I'll synch A-720's waypoint 5 with the west end of A-10, and correct A-720's east end label to RueNotDame.

There are no intersections with highways in the canqc route set, so it will be unaffected until the new QC 136 is added to the system.

[oscar]

Plans have been approved for a northward extension of A-25 to Sainte-Julienne. Work is scheduled to begin in 2022.

Also, modernization work on the Turcot interchange (A-15/A-20/A-720/new QC 136 segment) in Montreal is nearing completion, with the bulk of the construction to be done the rest of this year, and finish-up work continuing into 2021. 

[oscar]

A reminder to self about a recent route change: When Autoroute 410 was extended around Drummondville in Dec. 2020, signage unveiled at the opening ceremony indicates QC 108 was rerouted onto A-410, with the old alignment (part of Rue College) east of QC 143 becoming a truck-restricted local road. While OSM reflects the change, Transports Quebec's online mapping doesn't.

Once the US-Canada border reopens to non-essential travel (not holding my breath on that), I can field-check this as part of re-clinching A-410.

[froggie]

^ I can potentially field-check that as well, considering I'm in a better (i.e. 90 minute drive) position to do so.

[oscar]

^ I did the A-410 field-check a few days ago (also, the A-85 extension SE of Riviere-du-Loup, already added to the HB, and QC 382, also in the HB). Looks like QC 108 will need a short reroute, plus a label change on A-410's new east end, and tweaks on A-85 and maybe QC 382, when I get back home.

UPDATE: A-85 and related changes at https://github.com/TravelMapping/HighwayData/pull/5236

No changes to QC 108 or A-410, or QC 382. Some signage indicates that part of QC 108 was moved to A-410, but other signage at A-410(13) indicates QC 108 in Lennoxville is still north of that interchange (part concurrent with QC 143). Moreover, two different MTQ online maps say that QC 108 in Lennoxville hasn't moved at all. With inconsistent signage, I would use the online mapping as the tiebreaker.

[vdeane]

Construction on the next phase of A-70 is underway.  Looks like it will open in 2028.

https://www.quebec.ca/transports/projets-routiers/saguenay-lac-saint-jean/autoroute-70-grande-anse-la-baie-construction

[LilianaUwU]

Two more segments of A-85 have opened, which seems to extend the Rivière-du-Loup segment up to QC 291 at exit 60. Article in French: https://ici.radio-canada.ca/nouvelle/2104869/autoroute-85-nouveaux-troncons-temiscouata

[oscar]

^ Thanx. I'm heading out of town (west, not northeast), but will watch for official press releases and other info to clarify some points in the CBC article, before I make any changes to A-85/QC 185.

[vdeane]

^ Thanx. I'm heading out of town (west, not northeast), but will watch for official press releases and other info to clarify some points in the CBC article, before I make any changes to A-85/QC 185.

MTQ made a post on Facebook about it, but I'm not sure how to directly link to it.

This link to their page should work without an account, at least long enough to scroll down to yesterday's post (just click the x to close their nag).

https://www.facebook.com/TransportsQc/

[oscar]

Two more segments of A-85 have opened, which seems to extend the Rivière-du-Loup segment up to QC 291 at exit 60. Article in French: https://ici.radio-canada.ca/nouvelle/2104869/autoroute-85-nouveaux-troncons-temiscouata

Official online mapping indicates that A-85's Rivière-du-Loup segment has indeed been extended southeast to exit 60, and a little bit farther to QC 185 waypoint *RteGerRoy_A. This absorbs most of QC 185, leaving less than 5 mi. yet to be upgraded to Autoroute, by 2026 (would not surprise me if it's opened to traffic sometime next year).

I'll shortly submit a pull request for the A-85 extension opened to date, with conforming changes to QC 185/TCH Main and QC 291.