Beast congestion: You must “develop the reflex to consult 511,” says Guilbault

Last weekend’s monstrous traffic jams that caused so much trouble on the approach to Montreal Trudeau Airport show that you have to “develop the reflex to consult 511” to plan your trips, believes the Minister of Transport and Sustainable Mobility, Genevieve Gilbeult.

The concrete work, which forced the complete closure of Highway 20, heading west, at the Saint-Pierre junction, had repercussions for customs in Lacolle, as it took people four hours before they could get back into the country.

The family who needed to get to the airport to catch their flight on Saturday afternoon took 3.5 hours to complete a journey that normally takes 20 minutes.

The taxi driver who was picking them up, Jonathan Santos, told TVA Nouvelles that “it was crazy, people were getting out of their cars to make Bouncy Jackthey took their dog in the middle of the highway, there were ladies peeing on the side of the highway.

M commented.^I Guillebolt, on the sidelines of a Cabinet meeting, Wednesday.

‘Another communication challenge’

Referring to the much-needed catch-up in terms of road infrastructure, El-Sayed said.^I Guilbault noted that the work carried out at the Saint-Pierre junction was “necessary” and “essential” in order to ensure that problems do not worsen.

“We publish press releases every Friday, but not everyone consults them. We have to find a way to be better,” admitted the Deputy Prime Minister.

This, according to her, is another file that constitutes a “communication challenge” for her ministry.

To better plan their trips, “people need to be able to know in advance what construction sites are going to be there, and have the reflex to go and find out about 511, in particular,” said Ms.^I Jailbolt.