After decades of carrying commuters between Vaudreuil-Dorion and the West Island, the Île-aux-Tourtes bridge is getting a striking new look as its replacement takes shape.

Starting in September, architectural “sails” inspired by bird wings and the sails of modern boats will begin appearing on the new bridge, adding a distinctive visual feature to one of the region’s biggest infrastructure projects.

The sails are designed to express the forces and tension that allow a sail to take shape while balancing strength, lightness, and elegance. Their slim profiles are intended to blend into the surrounding landscape, allowing the scenery to remain visible behind them and creating the impression of movement in the wind.

The announcement comes as construction reaches another milestone: the final steel girder has been installed on the first structure of the new bridge, completing its steel framework.

In all, 455 steel girders have been installed on the structure. Each weigh between 12 and 35 tonnes and measures between 15 and 42 metres long.

The new bridge is being built just north of the existing structure, which opened in 1965 and connects Senneville with Vaudreuil-Dorion along Autoroute 40. The aging bridge has undergone regular maintenance and reinforcement work over the years as its condition deteriorated. The new construction could not have been timelier for off-island residents seeking relief from all of the issues plaguing the aging infrastructure.

The need for a replacement became increasingly apparent as the nearly 60-year-old structure approached the end of its useful life. Quebec launched the current reconstruction project in late 2023 as part of a major effort to replace the aging crossing.

The replacement will consist of two separate structures and eventually provide three lanes in each direction, a multi-use path, and wide shoulders adapted for buses. Tens of thousands of vehicles use the existing crossing each day, making it a critical link between the West Island and Vaudreuil-Soulanges.

The first new structure is expected to begin carrying traffic later this year, followed by the second structure in 2027. Once completed, the new crossing will provide a more reliable connection for motorists, public transit, and active transportation.

The existing bridge will eventually be dismantled as construction of the new crossing progresses, bringing an end to a structure that has been part of the region's transportation network for more than six decades.

For a bridge long associated with traffic headaches and an aging structure, the arrival of the architectural sails will offer a different image: one of movement, engineering, and a new chapter for a vital link between Montreal and Vaudreuil-Soulanges.