Bike path on Jacques Cartier Bridge will remain open all winter long

The 2.7-kilometre bicycle path that crosses the Jacques Cartier Bridge will remain open all winter this year, the Crown corporation that runs the bridge said Monday.

Officials said the multipurpose path, which includes a sidewalk and a bike path, will be accessible from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. every day.

The announcement follows a pilot project last winter that kept the path open for 25 cyclists while bridge workers tested different ways to clear snow. 

"We have been working for several years to minimize the risks and allow for safe winter operations of the multipurpose path and the sidewalk," said Sandra Martel, CEO of Jacques Cartier and Champlain Bridges Incorporated (JCCBI), the Crown corporation responsible for managing both bridges. 

Maintenance teams will work overnight to minimize closures during operating hours, though closures are expected on snowy weekends for more significant snow removal operations, Martel said. 

Infrastructure Minister Catherine McKenna was on hand for Monday's announcement. 

"If there's one good thing that has come out of this pandemic, I think it's a recognition that we need to have ways to get active, that cycling and active transportation is critical to our well being,"  McKenna said.

McKenna said the winter bike path will also help reduce greenhouse gas emissions because it will encourage more people get around through active transportation.