By Lawrence Belanger
Local Journalism Initiative
Sherbrooke officials announced Tuesday morning that the Saint-Francois Bridge (located on Terrill Street) will be completely closed to motor vehicle traffic as of next week. Speaking inside the Hotel de Ville, Caroline Gravel, directeur des services infrastructures urbaines for the city, said that the closure was necessary in order to demolish the section of the bridge over Rue Grandes-Fourches.
Safely decontaminating the site of asbestos requires the complete closure of the bridge in order to protect users, particularly cyclists and pedestrians, explained Gravel and other city officials. Gravel said that at 7 a.m. Tuesday, Feb. 7, 2023, all vehicular traffic crossing the bridge will be stopped, and crews will work through the summer to demolish the portion of the bridge spanning Grandes-Fourches.
The reopening is scheduled for no later than September when the new link from the Grandes-Fourches Street North Bridge to King Street is complete. According to city officials, the Saint-Francois Bridge is used by approximately 23,500 vehicles per day, so they are encouraging users to be prepared for the imminent closure.
