More than 150 workers are now on the pont chantier of the Île d’Orléans bridge, where crews have been driving large metal plates into the riverbed since mid-April. Nicolas Vigneault, spokesperson for the Ministry of Transport and Sustainable Mobility, said it is "il s’agit de la phase la plus bruyante des travaux de construction du nouveau pont".
The work is scheduled to run on the north shore until mid-July, then resume on the Île d’Orléans side from September to December. It is part of a future bridge valued at 2.7 billion dollars and planned for inauguration in August 2028.
Nicolas Vigneault on noise limits
The cofferdam work is designed to dry out a square area of riverbed where the bridge pillars will be built. To limit the impact near residential neighborhoods, noise is capped at 75 decibels during the day and 65 decibels at night, from 19 h to 7 h the next morning.
Sound levels are measured at all times with three sound meters installed near those neighborhoods. Vigneault said: "On n'attend pas d'avoir des plaintes. Il y a une surveillance en continu. Dès qu'il y a un dépassement, immédiatement, il y a des démarches qui sont entreprises directement avec les gens sur le chantier pour amenuiser ce bruit-là".
Six exceedances this spring
The hydraulic hammer used to drive the metal plates has already caused six exceedances since the beginning of spring. Vigneault also said: "Dès qu'il y a un dépassement, il y a des alertes qui sont signalées à des personnes qui surveillent le tout et, immédiatement, les gens sur le chantier sont avisés."
For nearby residents, the immediate effect is a months-long stretch of monitored noise rather than a short burst of activity. The bridge project enters its longest noisy phase now, with the north shore work continuing through mid-July before the same operation shifts to the Île d’Orléans side in the fall.
