Highway 50 Development

Check here for updates on the progress of the new Highway 50, which is cutting across the Kilmar Road.

Concrete & steel come together to support the structure.

There is some major development taking place in our region. The extension of highway 50 to join the Outaouais with the Laurentians is cutting a path right through the hills to the north of Grenville sur la Rouge.

If you are driving along the existing highway 148 and look up into the hills, you will notice heavy construction going on. This massive four-phase project is estimated at $256 million dollars and is expected to be completed by 2010.

For those of you that travel along the 148, you may have noticed a new traffic light at the intersection of the 148 and chemin de la Rivere Rouge. I imagine that this light will ease the flow of heavy trucks that will need to travel up and down the hill during the construction of the interchange of the chemin de la Rivere Rouge and the new highway 50.

There are four phases to this project. The 17 km Grenville-sur-la-Rouge-Lachute phase will include:

3 overpasses – Boucher, Fallon and Windfield
3 bridges – Riviere Petit Salmon, Riviere Rouge and Riviere Calumet
3 interchanges – Avoca, chemin de la Riviere Rouge and chemin Scotch

Have a look at the Transport Quebec maps at th elink below to see exactly where the new highway 50 will intersect with chemin de la Rivere Rouge.

This interchange appears to cut across the flats at the top of the big climb up the chemin de la Rivere Rouge just before the Brown-Bennett farm. I wonder how a family that has been farming those fields for 200 years feels about a concrete monster in their front yard.

Here is another pic looking north/west from highway 148 of new extension to highway 50.

Beyond the cemetery, you can make out where the highway 50 extension cuts across the tree-line.

For a complete overview of the project (en Francais) click on this link:

http://www.mtq.gouv.qc.ca/portal/page/portal/entreprises/zone_fournisseurs/centre_affaires/projets_routiers/prolongement_a50

Fantastic progress pics.

By zombo09 at Tue, 07/07/2009 - 00:28 | login or register to post comments | email this comment

Highway 50 Update - June 16, 2009

Headed up Scotch Road today fully expecting to jump on the Highway 50 westbound. As it turns out, the on-ramp direction Montreal (towards Lachute) is open, as several large trucks took the turn but the westbound ramp is still not an option.

Eventual on-ramp from Scotch Road to Highway 50 Westbound.

As you cross the 50 over the new overpass on the Kilmar Road, it is obvious that much work has been completed. Just look East at the huge roack face that needed to be blasted over the past year in order to complete the road.

No sign of a Tim Hortons yet.

By Marc Vallee at Tue, 06/16/2009 - 22:16 | login or register to post comments | email this comment

Highway 50 Update - July 9, 2008

The progress at the intersection of the new highway 50 and Chemin de la Riviere Rouge is intense. These pictures are a few weeks old but for those of you that do not come up often, it will give you an idea of the progress. Since these pics were taken the shape of the overpass is now evident and we can see were the on and off ramps will be.

Plywood forms for the super-structure.

Scaffolding to support the forms and then concrete.

Closer look at the forms.

Tons of rebar will be used in this project!

By Marc Vallee at Wed, 07/09/2008 - 09:57 | login or register to post comments | email this comment

I really don't think that

I really don't think that this project will be finished till 2010. It's a very long highway and after the picture i've seen it doesn't looks like they are hurrying with the finalization of the project.

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By sniffsmith at Wed, 06/18/2008 - 18:20 | login or register to post comments | email this comment

Highway 50 Update - May 27, 2008

It was the first time heading to the lake this season when there was no activity at the Highway 50 construction site. It was the week-end! Trucks sat idle and the dust had settled for at least a couple of days.

Looking East - the progress continues

All quiet on the week-end.

Main overpass structure.

Looking West - the clearing continues.

By Marc Vallee at Tue, 05/27/2008 - 08:11 | login or register to post comments | email this comment

Highway 50 Update - May 22, 2008

I noticed the dynamite blasting signs for the first time during a drive up to the lake this week. The amount of solid rock being excavated from the site is impressive. A combination of drilling and blasting is dislodging the ancient rock. Large trucks are hauling the rock away towards the West.

There was some work being done at the intersection of the 148 where I can visualize a new system of merging and new traffic lights to ease the flow of traffic to and from the new Highway 50.

Highway 148 intersection - new merge.

Concrete columns taking shape.

Blasting.

Solid rock.

By Marc Vallee at Fri, 05/23/2008 - 09:35 | login or register to post comments | email this comment

Highway 50 Update - May 15, 2008

Work continues at an impressive pace. There is much more concrete and seemingly more trucks zipping around. One of the noticeable projects was the excavation just south of the start of the overpass. Backhoes are scooping beautiful sand and dumping it into huge trucks. These loads then head west, into the now clear cut expanse for what I can only assume is to be fill for the eventual roadbed.

Every time I drive by this project, I marvel at what was once there and imagine what will be.

Enjoy.

Concrete & steel.

Looking East

Looking West.

Taking a break on a warm Spring day.

By Marc Vallee at Thu, 05/15/2008 - 21:00 | login or register to post comments | email this comment

Highway 50 Update - April 24, 2008

Even though I have passed by the site several times now, the landscape still seems quite surreal to me.

I have watch construction crews build mega structures before but never over a road once lined with majestic pine trees, sand dunes and tall grasses. One that I have travelled for 35 years.

The number of work crews and different things going on all at once is quite impressive. Most notably, there is a huge pit in the middle of what was once the road bed of Chemin de la Riviere Rouge. A large crane is drilling the holes for steel piers that will anchor the reinforced concrete supports. A front loader dumps gravel on the hole to keep the water from spraying. A foreman shouts a few orders. A worker leans on a shovel.

On the south side of the pit, crews have already built the forms and are pouring concrete with the help of a pumping truck. Trucks carrying gravel from excavation sites move around like ants on an ant farm. The hum of engines and the sounds of progress are all around us.

The roads detours around the pit and soon you are back on track to the cottage with nothing but the old familiar beauty all around you.

New hydro poles waiting to be planted.

Setting the foundation for the new overpass at the Chemin de la Riveiere Rouge.

The skeleton of reinforced steel.

Drilling for bedrock.

Gravel dump.

Pouring concrete on the South side of the overpass - looking North.

By Marc Vallee at Fri, 04/25/2008 - 08:15 | login or register to post comments | email this comment

Kilmar Road News

Here is an article which appeared in the Vankleek Hill Review - March 12, 2008. Click on the image of the article to enlarge it.

By Marc Vallee at Sun, 03/16/2008 - 15:40 | login or register to post comments | email this comment

Highway 50 Update – March 15, 2008

Summer cottagers who have not been up to Forest Lake over the winter are in for a surreal experience on their first drive up the Kilmar Road.

Kilmar Road detour with new hydro/telephone poles.

Woodchips looking East.

Kilmar Road detour and nature's telephone pole.

Selective clearing.

After turning onto the Kilmar Road off the 148 and making the sleep climb, you will notice the first signs of “progress”. First on the corner just before New World Rafting, you will notice several tall trees are gone. Then as you wind down past the rafting entrance, you will be surprised and maybe a bit confused as you are detoured from the original route and look across a clear cut field where tall pines once stood.

Power lines and phone lines have been temporarily propped up and piles up wood chips take the place of the forest. On the day we passed by and took these photos, I could not see any heavy machinery but could hear the moaning engines in the distance to the East. The clearing to the East is evident as you look back near Brown-Bennett.

I am sure we will see more detours this summer as we make our way to the cottage up the Kilmar Road.

By Marc Vallee at Sat, 03/15/2008 - 16:40 | login or register to post comments | email this comment