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Jacques Cartier Bridge

Bridge Reversible Lane Operation

Montreal, QC, Canada

An image for Jacques Cartier Bridge

Overview

The Jacques Cartier Bridge is a five-lane bridge spanning the St. Lawrence River between the cities of Montreal and Longueuil. The bridge’s 5 lanes include a reversible lane, which is open during morning and evening rush hours, in order to facilitate traffic in both directions. Due to the configuration of the bridge approaches, overhead lights were not sufficient to send a clear message to motorists of a closed middle lane. In 2010, the Jacques Cartier and Champlain Bridge Authority (JCCBI) decided to install automated warning signs and warning gates at the southern approach to the bridge in order to reduce the risk of head-on collisions in the reversible lane. In 2014, the automated lane closure system was implemented at the northern approach.

Project Scope

In the summer of 2011, six automated swing gates and three automated warning signs were installed at the southern approach of the bridge. The solar-powered traffic signs and gates are activated from the bridge’s control center where they are synchronized with the overhead lights. The Versilis Commander is used to relay information from the bridge’s PLC to the SwiftSign and SwiftGate. A Smart Handheld Controller can also be used to operate and monitor the system. A similar project to secure the north approach was deployed in 2014.

Safe & Efficient Reversible Lane Operations

Safety benefits

- Improved motorist safety by physically preventing wrong way movements

  • Increased motorist compliance and safety with highly visible and crash tested gates
  • Reduced worker exposure to live traffic

Operational Benefits

  • Ease of operation from bridge’s TMC using the Versilis Commander
  • Fully integrated solution with synchronized ITS field devices
  • Reduced time to setup and breakdown lane closures
  • Reduced traffic control costs

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