The original Louis-Hippolyte Lafontaine Tunnel was constructed in 1967, and was in need of significant rehabilitation or replacement in order to make it viable for residents in Montreal. In August 2020, the contract was awarded for the rehabilitation project. The work to be conducted includes:
• Tunnel: Repairing the structure; installing new fire protection facings; landscaping and architectural finishes; modernizing all electrical, electromechanical, and supervisory infrastructure; and, deploying new technologies to increase operator and user safety.
• Access roads: Widening the A20 motorway with the addition of a new bus and car-sharing lane, as well as rehabilitating 25 km of pavement (on the A25 and A20) and an interchange.
Construction work is expected to begin in early 2021.