Quebec Autoroute 20

Autoroute 20 shield

Autoroute 20
Autoroute Jean-Lesage, Autoroute du Souvenir
Route information
Maintained by Transports Québec
Length: 542.0 km[1][2] (336.8 mi)
(main section; Rimouski section is 43 km or 26.7 mi)
Existed: 1964 [2] – present
Major junctions
West end: Highway 401 towards Cornwall, ON
 

A-30 in Vaudreuil-Dorion
A-10 / A-13 / A-15 / A-520 & A-720 in Montreal
A-25 (TCH) in Boucherville
A-30 in Sainte-Julie
A-55 in Drummondville
A-955 in Sainte-Eulalie
A-73 near Quebec City
A-85 (TCH) near Rivière-du-Loup
Route 132 near Rivière-du-Loup


Route 132 near Rimouski
East end: Route 132 in Mont-Joli
Location
Major cities: Vaudreuil-Dorion, Pointe-Claire, Montreal, Brossard, Longueuil, Boucherville, Sainte-Julie, Beloeil, Saint-Hyacinthe, Drummondville, Lévis, Montmagny, Rivière-du-Loup, Rimouski, Mont-Joli
Highway system

Quebec provincial highways

A-19A-25

Autoroute 20 is a Quebec Autoroute, following the Saint Lawrence River through one of the more densely populated parts of Canada, with its central section forming the main route of the Trans-Canada Highway from the A-25 interchange to the A-85 interchange. At 585 km (363.5 mi), it is the longest Autoroute in Quebec. It is one of two main links between Montreal and Quebec City; the other is the A-40.

There are two sections of the A-20, separated by a 57 km (35.4 mi) gap that was to be filled in by 2015 according to the Quebec government's Bas-Saint-Laurent plan. The length of the A-20 would then be 641 km (398 mi). Currently, there is no official plan to continue construction past Trois-Pistoles, which will leave a 50 km (31 mi) gap.

Description

Autoroute du Souvenir

The ending of Ontario Highway 401 marks the beginning of Autoroute 20.

Montérégie

The A-20 begins at the Ontario-Quebec border near Rivière-Beaudette as the continuation of Ontario Highway 401. The westernmost section of the A-20 was named the Autoroute du Souvenir (Remembrance Highway) in 2007 to honour Canadian veterans. Road marker signs on this stretch of the autoroute feature a poppy (a traditional symbol of Remembrance in Canada).

At km 29, the A-20 crosses A-30 (former A-540) before becoming an urban boulevard for approximately eight kilometers (km 30 to 38) in Vaudreuil-Dorion and L'Île-Perrot. This stretch of highway takes the A-20 across the Ottawa River. The speed limit is 50 km/h (30 mph) in Vaudreuil-Dorion and 70 km/h (45 mph) in L'Île-Perrot. The A-20 once again becomes a limited-access highway at km 38, just before crossing the Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue Canal onto the Island of Montreal.

Montreal Region

The A-20 then traverses the West Island (in French, l'Ouest de l'Île) along the north shore of Lac Saint-Louis to an interchange with the A-520. Commonly called the Dorval Interchange, this exit is the main access to Montreal's Trudeau International Airport. Further east, the A-20 crosses the A-13 at its southern terminus, and then, at the St. Pierre Interchange, Route 138 west towards the Mercier Bridge.

Just west of downtown Montreal, the A-20, A-15, and A-720 meet at the Turcot Interchange. From this interchange, A-15 continues north to Laval while A-20 east is multiplexed with A-15 south on the approach to the Champlain Bridge. Traffic bound for the city centre continues as the A-720 (Autoroute Ville-Marie).

Between Route 138 and the Turcot Interchange, the carriageways on Autoroute 20 are reversed, making it one of the few stretches of roadway in Canada where traffic drives on the left side of the road.

South Shore

Multiplexed with the A-10 and A-15, all three autoroutes cross the Saint Lawrence River via the Champlain Bridge to the South Shore (in French, Rive Sud). The multiplex splits south of the bridge. The A-20 parallels the south shore of the river through suburban Longueuil. The junction with the A-25 affords a direct connection to the Louis Hippolyte Lafontaine Bridge-Tunnel and Montreal's East End. The Trans-Canada Highway joins the A-20 at this junction.

Autoroute Jean-Lesage

The largest section of the A-20 (from its junction with A-25 to its easternmost terminus) is named after Jean Lesage, who served as Premier of Quebec from 1960 to 1966, during the Quiet Revolution. Autoroute Jean-Lesage currently exists as two discontinuous sections separated by about 76 kilometers:

Main section

Centre-du-Québec

From the junction with A-25, the A-20 travels east, away from the St. Lawrence River. At kilometer 98, the A-20 intersects the A-30 near Mont Saint-Bruno, crossing the Richelieu River (km 112) just north of Mont-Saint-Hilaire. Bypassing Saint-Hyacinthe, the A-20 forms a multiplex with Route 116 for six kilometers between exits 141 and 147. This section of the A-20 in Centre-du-Québec is located the furthest from the St. Lawrence River (approximately 45 kilometers). Between Drummondville and Sainte-Eulalie, the A-20 forms a multiplex with A-55 for 37 kilometers.

Quebec City Region

The A-20 continues across the St. Lawrence Lowlands and Quebec's agricultural heartland. The autoroute once again parallels the river as it approaches metropolitan Quebec City. From this point eastward, the A-20 is never more than five kilometers from the river. At km 312, the A-20 crosses the A-73, a north-south link between Saint-Georges and Quebec City via the Pierre Laporte Bridge. While the control city on the A-20 is listed as "Québec", the autoroute never enters the city proper. Before departing the region the A-20 bypasses suburban Lévis.

Chaudière-Appalaches and Bas-Saint-Laurent
Autoroute 20 eastbound, south of Rivière-du-Loup

This section of the A-20 offers the motorist splendid views over the St. Lawrence River and the mountains of the Côte-Nord, especially Mont-Sainte-Anne and Le Massif. As it continues eastward, the A-20 passes the regional centres of Montmagny and La Pocatière before approaching Rivière-du-Loup and the junction with A-85 at km 499. The Trans-Canada Highway departs the A-20 at this interchange and travels south on A-85 toward Edmundston, New Brunswick and the Maritime Provinces. The eastern end of the main section of the A-20 is located in L'Isle-Verte, approximately 20 kilometres east of Rivière-du-Loup.

Rimouski section

The second section of Autoroute Jean-Lesage (km 597 to km 641) connects Rimouski to Mont-Joli. It begins at a junction with Route 132 in the village of Le Bic, approximately 75 km from the current terminus of the A-20 main section. Like its larger counterpart, the Rimouski section of the A-20 parallels the St. Lawrence, providing a southern bypass of Rimouski before ending (at another junction with Route 132) at the western approach to Mont-Joli.

This section of the A-20 is currently a single carriageway with occasional passing lanes. It was built to accommodate an eventual expansion to four lanes and most overpasses include the clearance needed to accommodate the additional lanes. Given the low annual daily traffic rate along this section of A-20, there are no plans for the highway to be expanded.

An electric fence has been installed on both sides of the highway between km 621 and 628 to prevent moose from crossing the road, while at km 624 an underpass has been constructed to allow wildlife to cross safely.

Future

Transports Québec (MTQ) is currently engaged in several projects designed to connect the two segments of the A-20 as well as replace outdated sections.

Greater Montréal

The MTQ plans to rebuild A-20 (currently an urban boulevard) through Vaudreuil-Dorion and Île-Perrot as a limited-access highway. In Montréal, the MTQ plans to shift the autoroute north between Route 138 and the Turcot Interchange.

Bas-Saint-Laurent

Long-range plans by the MTQ call for the two sections of the A-20 to meet. A 9.8 km section of single carriageway was opened to traffic on December 3, 2011 between Cacouna and L'Isle-Verte. As part of this project, a few kilometers of the highway near Cacouna was moved 1.5 km to the south and the old roadbed was destroyed. The MTQ timeline for completing the highway to Trois-Pistoles was met; it opened to traffic in November 2015. Overpasses were constructed for the St-Paul, St-Éloi and Drapeau roads. Regarding the Trois-Pistoles-Le Bic section, an environmental impact study is underway.

Popular Culture

Autoroute 20 serves as the backdrop to the popular 2002 Quebec film Québec-Montréal by Ricardo Trogi about seven twenty-something travellers driving between the two cities.

The Quebec French expression "à l'autre bout de la 20" (in English, at the other end of the 20) refers to Montreal when the speaker is in Quebec City, and to Quebec City when one is in Montreal.

Other names

Older Anglophone Montrealers sometimes still refer to the section of the A-20 west of the city as Highway 2-20 (or "The Two and Twenty"), but the Route 2 designation was dropped in the early 1970s.

Exit list

Location Exit Destinations Notes
Continues as Highway 401 in Ontario
Rivière-Beaudette 2 Route 325 to Route 338 Rivière-Beaudette, Saint-Télesphore
Saint-Zotique 6 Chemin Saint-Thomas
9 Saint-Zotique, Saint-Polycarpe, Saint-Télesphore
Les Coteaux 12 Les Coteaux
Côteau-du-Lac 14 Route 201 south – Pont Monseigneur Langlois, Salaberry-de-Valleyfield
17 Route 201 north Saint-Clet, Coteau-du-Lac
19 Chemin Saint-Emmanuel
Les Cèdres 22 Chemin Saint-Dominique
26 Saint-Lazare, Les Cèdres
Vaudreuil-Dorion 29 A-30 to A-40 (TCH) / Highway 417 / TCH Mirabel Airport, Gatineau, Ottawa, Montreal, Sorel-Tracy to toll bridge
Route 342 (Route Harwood) At-grade intersection
Route 338 (Chemin de Lotbinière) At-grade intersection
Avenue Saint-Henri At-grade intersection
Taschereau Bridge, Ottawa River - South Arm
Pincourt, Terrasse-Vaudreuil 35 Boulevard Cardinal-Léger - Terrasse-Vaudreuil, Pincourt
L'Île-Perrot Boulevard Don-Quichotte At-grade intersection
Boulevard Perrot At-grade intersection
Chemin de L'Île-Claude, Rue de L'Île-Bellevue Westbound exit and entrance
Galipeault Bridge, Ottawa River - North Arm
Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue 39 Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue
Baie-D'Urfé 42 Rue Morgan
Beaconsfield 45 Avenue Woodland
48 Boulevard Saint-Charles
Pointe-Claire 49 Avenue Cartier
50 Boulevard Saint-Jean Signed as exits 50S (south) and 50N (north) westbound
51 Chemin du Bord-du-Lac Eastbound exit and entrance
Dorval 53 Boulevard des Sources
54 Boulevard Pine Beach, Boulevard Fénelon
56 A-520 east / Avenue Dorval P.E. Trudeau Airport
Montreal 58 55e Avenue
60 A-13 north / 32e Avenue Laval, Mirabel Airport
61 Rue Norman Westbound exit and entrance
62 1re Avenue, Rue Saint-Jacques - Avenue Dollard Westbound exit is via exit 63
63 Route 138 west Pont Mercier
64 Route 138 east, Rue Saint-Jacques, Boulevard Angrignon
67 Rue Notre Dame, Boulevard Angrignon Eastbound exit is via exit 64
68-N A-15 north (Autoroute Décarie) Saint-Jérôme West end of A-15 overlap
63 (68) A-720 east (Autoroute Ville-Marie) Montreal Centre-ville
62 (69) Boulevard de la Vérendrye, Avenue de l'Église
61 (70) Rue Atwater, Rue Saint-Patrick
60 (71) A-10 west / Rue Wellington Montreal Centre-ville
58 (73) A-10 west Montreal Centre-ville West end of A-10 overlap; westbound exit and eastbound entrance
57 (74) Île des Sœurs
Champlain Bridge over the Saint Lawrence River
Brossard 75 A-10 east to A-30 / I-89 Sherbrooke, Québec, Vermont East end of A-10 overlap
Boulevard Rome Eastbound exit is via A-15 south exit
A-15 south / Route 132 west to I-87 La Prairie, New York East end of A-15 overlap; west end of Route 132 overlap
Boulevard Marie-Victorin Eastbound exit only
Saint-Lambert 76 (Ex. 1) Boulevard Simard
78 (Ex. 3) Route 112 (Boulevard Laurier) Pont Victoria, Montreal
79 (Ex. 6) Avenue Notre-Dame
Longueuil 81 (Ex. 7) Boulevard Lafayette Eastbound exit and entrance
82 (Ex. 8) Route 134 (Boulevard Taschereau) Pont Jacques-Cartier, Montreal
85 (Ex. 11) Boulevard Roland-Therrien
89-E (Ex. 15-E) A-20 east to A-30 Québec, Sorel-Tracy
Route 132 east Boucherville, Varennes East end of Route 132 overlap
Boulevard Marie-Victorin No westbound entrance
89-N (Ex. 15-O / 15-N) A-25 (TCH) north to A-40 Tunnel Louis-H.-Lafontaine, Montreal West end of TCH overlap
90 A-20 west / Route 132 to A-15 La Prairie, Varennes, USA
91 Boulevard Industriel, Rue Métropole
Boucherville 92 Boulevard Mortagne
93 Rue Nobel Eastbound exit only
95 Boulevard de Montarville
98 A-30 to A-10 Saint-Hubert Airport, Brossard, Sorel-Tracy, Châteauguay, USA
Sainte-Julie 102 Sainte-Julie, Saint-Amable, Saint-Bruno-de-Montarville
105 Route 229 Saint-Basile-le-Grand, McMasterville
Saint-Mathieu-de-Beloeil, Beloeil 109 Rue Saint-Jean-Baptiste - Beloeil, Saint-Mathieu-de-Beloeil
Beloeil 112 Route 223 (Rue Richelieu) Beloeil, Saint-Marc-sur-Richelieu
Mont-Saint-Hilaire 113 Route 133 (Chemin des Patriotes) Mont-Saint-Hilaire, Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Saint-Charles-sur-Richelieu
115 La Grande-Allée - Saint-Jean-Baptiste, Saint-Damase
Sainte-Madeleine 120 Route 227 Sainte-Madeleine, Saint-Jean-Baptiste
La Présentation 123 La Présentation, Saint-Hyacinthe
Saint-Hyacinthe 130 Route 137 / Route 235 Saint-Hyacinthe, Granby, Saint-Thomas-d'Aquin, Saint-Denis-sur-Richelieu Signed as exits 130-S (south) and 130-N (north) eastbound
133 Rue Girouard - Saint-Hyacinthe
134 Rue Yamaska - Saint-Hyacinthe
138 Route 224 Sainte-Rosalie, Saint-Simon
Saint-Simon 141 Route 116 west to Route 137 south Sainte-Rosalie, Saint-Hyacinthe, Granby West end of Route 116 overlap
143 Route 211 to Saint-Valérien-de-Milton Eastbound exit is via exit 143
Saint-Simon, Saint-Liboire 145 Saint-Simon, Saint-Liboire
147 Route 116 east Upton, Acton Vale East end of Route 116 overlap
Sainte-Hélène-de-Bagot 150 Saint-Hugues
152 Sainte-Hélène
Saint-Eugène, Saint-Nazaire-d'Acton 157 Saint-Nazaire, Wickham
Saint-Eugène 160 Route 239 Saint-Eugène, Saint-Guillaume
Saint-Germain-de-Grantham 166 10e Rang de Saint-Germain
170 Route 122 Saint-Germain-de-Grantham, Yamaska, Sorel
Drummondville 173 A-55 south to I-91 Drummondville, Sherbrooke, Vermont West end of A-55 overlap
175 Route 143 north (Boulevard Lemire) Saint-Bonaventure, Saint-François-du-Lac West end of Route 143 overlap
177 Route 143 south Saint-Majorique-de-Grantham, Drummondville East end of Route 143 overlap
179 Chemin du Golf
Saint-Charles-de-Drummond 181 Saint-Charles-de-Drummond, Drummondville, Saint-Joachim-de-Courval
Saint-Cyrille-de-Wendover 185 Route 255 Baie-du-Febvre, Saint-Cyrille-de-Wendover, Saint-Félix-de-Kingsey
Notre-Dame-du-Bon-Conseil 191 Sainte-Brigitte-des-Saults
196 Route 259 Nicolet, Sainte-Perpétue, Notre-Dame-du-Bon-Conseil, Quebec
200 Saint-Léonard-d'Aston
Saint-Léonard-d'Aston
202 Rang du Moulin-Rouge
Sainte-Eulalie 204 Rang des Cédres, Rang des Plaines
210 A-55 north / A-955 / Route 161 Victoriaville, Saint-Albert, Warwick, Bécancour, Trois-Rivières, Sainte-Eulalie, Saint-Valère East end of A-55 overlap
215 Rang des Épinettes
Sainte-Anne-du-Sault 220 Route 261 Bécancour, Daveluyville, Victoriaville
Saint-Louis-de-Blandford 228 Route 165 (2e Rang de Saint-Louis-de-Blandford) Princeville, Plessisville, Thetford Mines
235 Route 162 / Route 263 Lemieux, Princeville, Victoriaville, Saint-Louis-de-Blandford
Manseau 243 Route 218 Manseau, Saint-Pierre-les-Becquets
Villeroy 253 Route 265 Villeroy, Plessisville, Deschaillons, Notre-Dame-de-Lourdes, Thetford Mines
256 15e et 16e Rangs de Villeroy
Val-Alain 261 Val-Alain
266 4e et 5e Rangs de Val-Alain
Saint-Janvier-de-Joly 271 Joly
Laurier-Station 278 Route 271 Laurier-Station, Sainte-Croix, Saint-Flavien
Saint-Apollinaire 285 Issoudun
291 Route 273 Saint-Agapit, Saint-Apollinaire, Saint-Antoine-de-Tilly
296 Route du Cap
Lévis 305 Route 171 Saint-Nicolas, Saint-Étienne, Thetford Mines
311 Route 116 Saint-Nicolas, Saint-Rédempteur
312 A-73 Saint-Georges, Pont Pierre-Laporte, Québec Signed as exits 312-S (south) and 312-N (north); westbound exit is part of exit 314, which also displays signage for US 201 to Maine
314 Route 175 Pont de Québec, Charny, Saint-Romuald
318 Route 275 Saint-Jean-Chrysostome, Saint-Romuald Signed as exits 318-S (south) and 318-N (north) eastbound
321 Chemin des Îles
325 Route 173 to Route 277 Pintendre, Lac-Etchemin, Lévis Signed as exits 325-S (south) and 325-N (north) eastbound
327 Route Monseigneur-Bourget
330 Route Lallemand
Beaumont 337 Route 279 Beaumont, Saint-Charles, Saint-Damien
341 Beaumont, Saint-Charles
Saint-Michel-de-Bellechasse 348 Route 281 Saint-Michel-de-Bellechasse, La Durantaye
Saint-Vallier 356 Saint-Vallier, Saint-Raphaël
Berthier-sur-Mer, Saint-François-de-la-Rivière-du-Sud 364 Berthier-sur-Mer, Saint-François-de-la-Rivière-du-Sud
Montmagny, Saint-François-de-la-Rivière-du-Sud 369 Saint-Pierre-de-la-Rivière-du-Sud
Montmagny 376 Route 228 (Chemin des Poirier) Montmagny
378 Route 283 Montmagny, Saint-Fabien-de-Panet
Cap-Saint-Ignace 388 Cap-Saint-Ignace
L'Islet 400 Route 285 L'Islet, Saint-Eugène
Saint-Jean-Port-Joli 414 Route 204 Saint-Jean-Port-Joli, Saint-Aubert, Saint-Pamphile
Saint-Roch-des-Aulnaies 430 Route 132 Saint-Roch-des-Aulnaies, Sainte-Louise
Sainte-Anne-de-la-Pocatière 436 Route 132 (Avenue Industrielle) La Pocatière
La Pocatière 439 La Pocatière, Saint-Onésime
444 Route 132 (Avenue de la Grande-Anse) La Pocatière, Rivière-Ouelle
Rivière-Ouelle, Saint-Pacôme 450 Rivière-Ouelle, Saint-Pacôme, Saint-Gabriel
Saint-Philippe-de-Néri 456 Route 287 Saint-Denis, Saint-Philippe-de-Néri, Mont-Carmel
Saint-Pascal 465 Kamouraska, Saint-Pascal, Saint-Bruno
Sainte-Hélène 474 Saint-Germain, Sainte-Hélène
Saint-André 480 Saint-André, Saint-Joseph
Saint-André, Saint-Alexandre-de-Kamouraska 488 Route 289 to Route 230 Saint-Alexandre-de-Kamouraska, Pohénégamook, Lac-Baker, NB
Notre-Dame-du-Portage 496 Notre-Dame-du-Portage
499 A-85 (TCH) to Route 185 (TCH) south Cabano, Dégelis, Edmundston, Notre-Dame-du-Lac East end of TCH overlap; eastbound exit and westbound entrance
Rivière-du-Loup 503 Route 132 (Rue Fraser) Rivière-du-Loup
507 Route 132 (Boulevard Cartier) Rivière-du-Loup
Cacouna 514 Route 191 to A-85 (TCH) / Route 185 (TCH) Rivière-du-Loup, Cabano, Dégelis, Cacouna, Saint-Arsène, Edmundston, New Brunswick
Cacouna 521 Route Moreault
L'Isle-Verte 527 Montée des Coteaux [3]
531 L'Isle-Verte (Rue Notre-Dame), St-Paul-de-la-Croix
539 Saint-Éloi, Route de la Station
542
Proposed interchange on central gap (exit number assumed)
Trois-Pistoles 548* Route 293
Segment 2
Le Bic 599* Route 132 / Montee Brilliant (currently an at-grade intersection)
Rimouski 606 Rue de Lausanne
610 Route 232 (Chemin Sainte-Odile)
614 Montée Industrielle-et-Commercialle
621 Avenue Père-Nouvel / Rue de la Gare
Sainte-Luce 630 Route 298
Mont-Joli 642 Route 132 (Boulevard Jacques-Cartier) / Boulevard Gaboury, (Roundabout) - Terminus
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

Rest Stops

The rest stops are located at the following points on Highway 20 and contain the following services:

Location km Direction Services Other
Rivière-Beaudette 2 Eastbound Washroom
Phone
Tourist Information
Couche-Tard, St-Hubert, Tim Hortons
Sainte-Madeleine 117 Eastbound Washroom
Phone
unknown
Westbound Washroom
Phone
unknown
Saint-Eugène 156 Westbound Washroom
Phone
unknown
Sainte-Anne-du-Sault 223 Eastbound Washroom
Phone
unknown
225 Westbound Washroom
Phone
unknown
Villeroy 254 Eastbound Washroom
Phone
unknown
Westbound Washroom
Phone
unknown
Saint-Rédempteur 309 Eastbound Washroom
Phone
Halte de Saint-Rédempteur
Saint-Michel-de-Bellechasse 344 Eastbound unknown unknown
345 Westbound unknown unknown
Cap-Saint-Ignace 393 Westbound unknown unknown
Saint-Philippe-de-Néri 458 Eastbound Washroom Halte de Kamouraska
Westbound Washroom Halte de Monadnocks
Notre-Dame-Du-Portage 498 Eastbound Washroom
Phone
(Open only June to August)

Photos

Looking east

Railroad crossing at Saint-Hyacinthe, looking west

See also

References

  1. Ministère des transports, "Distances routières", page (?), Les Publications du Québec, 2005
  2. 1 2 "Répertoire des autoroutes du Québec" (in French). Transports Québec. Retrieved 2008-02-23.
  3. Route des Coteau-des-Érables

External links

Route map: Bing / Google

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Quebec Autoroute 20.
Preceded by
Autoroute 25
Trans-Canada Highway
Autoroute 20
Succeeded by
Autoroute 85
This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the Sunday, February 07, 2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.