It has been almost 11 months since the Pont Henri-Raby in Brownsburg was closed to traffic, and the Québec government is installing a temporary bridge at the site, eight months after it said it would be installed.
On December 5, 2024, Pont Henri-Raby, which carries rue Principale over Rivière de l’Ouest in Brownsburg, was closed by the Ministère des Transports et Mobilité durable du Québec (MTMQ) due to the extremely poor and dangerous condition of the structure. The bridge was built in 1940 and will remain closed to all traffic for an undetermined amount of time. In 2022, the bridge was reduced to one lane with a 15-tonne load limit and controlled by a traffic light. The town of Brownsburg-Chatham had strongly denounced the closure of the bridge due to the long detour it created for residents using one of the village’s busiest streets.
In March 2025, the MTMQ notified the town it planned to install a temporary bridge before the summer of 2025. On October 14, the MTMQ announced that work to install the temporary bridge was to begin during the week of October 20 and take about eight weeks.
During the installation, a complete closure of Rue de l’Hôtel-de-Ville, starting from the intersection with Rue Principale Street, for a distance of approximately 150 metres, is required. Only authorized vehicles will be allowed to travel on this section. Residents in the area should use Rue McMaster or Rue Bank to reach Rue Principale Street. Furthermore, until the temporary bridge is operational, the detour route via des Rue des Érables and Rue Saint-Joseph will remain open.
In parallel with this work, preparations for the project to demolish and rebuild the Henri-Raby Bridge are continuing. It is currently in the design phase. According to the MTMQ, it and the town are working together to diligently monitor design progress.
