Lachapelle Bridge, Bridge across Rivière des Prairies in Montreal and Laval, Canada
Lachapelle Bridge consists of two parallel spans over the Rivière des Prairies between Ahuntsic-Cartierville and Chomedey. The downstream span, a three-lane cantilever beam bridge built in 1930, carries northbound traffic; the upstream three-lane arch span, built in 1975, carries southbound traffic. The two differ in length and pier spacing.
A wooden bridge was inaugurated here on 20 July 1836, the first permanent road link between the Island of Montreal and the north shore. It was replaced in 1882 by a steel bridge of the "camel's back" type. The crossing was rebuilt in the early 1930s, and a second, parallel span was added in 1975.
The bridge is named after Pascal Persillier, dit Lachapelle, who ran a ferry company at this spot from 1830 and built the first wooden bridge in 1836. It is also called Cartierville Bridge, after the Montreal neighbourhood on its bank. The southbound span's right lane is reserved for buses and taxis on weekday mornings from 6:30 to 9:30.
The bridge sees heavy daily traffic and serves as a key transportation link between the two shores. Visitors should expect regular vehicle flow and may prefer crossing during quieter times of day.
The two spans were not built at the same time but rather emerged with roughly four decades between them. This staged approach allowed traffic to continue during construction without completely interrupting the connection.
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