Quebec Autoroute 5
Encyclopedia
Autoroute 5 is a short Autoroute
in the Outaouais region of western Quebec
. It connects the central urban area of Gatineau (formerly Hull
) with the recreational areas of Gatineau Park
and the exurban rural areas of Chelsea
and La Pêche
. The southern terminus provides access to the Macdonald-Cartier Bridge
, which continues into downtown Ottawa
. The A-5 generally has four lanes of traffic (two per direction) with the exception of southernmost section across the Macdonald-Cartier Bridge where A-5 widens to six lanes (three per direction).
Part of Route 148
overlapped A-5 from Autoroute 50
to Saint-Raymond Boulevard until completion of des Allumettières Boulevard in 2007. With the completion of des Allumettières Boulevard, Route 148
was rerouted onto the southern leg of Autoroute 50
and then west towards Aylmer
on des Allumettières Boulevard.
There are currently two segments of A-5:
A 2.5 km (1.6 mi) extension of the southern segment past Tulip Valley, an area of Route 105
that has been the site of multiple fatal incidents in the past, was opened on 4 December 2009 following a $27 million extension project. Another $115 million 6.5 kilometres (4 mi) project began in 2010 to connect the south and north segments, completing the carriageway to Wakefield by 2012.
Beginning in June 2008, the MTQ began replacing the concrete surface from Ottawa to Saint-Joseph Boulevard
with asphalt after multiple incidents in which pieces of concrete broke out from the surface including one that struck the windshield of a vehicle, killing its driver in November 2007. Construction was completed by the end of 2008.
Autoroute (Quebec)
The Autoroute system is a network of expressways in the province of Quebec, Canada, operating under the same principle of controlled access as the Interstate Highway System in the United States or the 400-Series Highways in neighbouring Ontario. The Autoroutes are the backbone of Quebec's highway...
in the Outaouais region of western Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
. It connects the central urban area of Gatineau (formerly Hull
Hull, Quebec
Hull is the central and oldest part of the city of Gatineau, Quebec, Canada. It is located on the west bank of the Gatineau River and the north shore of the Ottawa River, directly opposite Ottawa. As part of the Canadian National Capital Region, it contains offices for twenty thousand...
) with the recreational areas of Gatineau Park
Gatineau Park
Gatineau Park is a park located in the National Capital Region, in Quebec's Outaouais region, just north of Ottawa, Ontario. Administered by the National Capital Commission, the park is a 361 km² wedge of land to the west of the Gatineau River...
and the exurban rural areas of Chelsea
Chelsea, Quebec
Chelsea is a municipality located immediately north of Gatineau, Quebec, Canada and about 7 miles north of Ottawa. Chelsea is located within Canada's National Capital Region. In 2006 the population was 6,703....
and La Pêche
La Pêche, Quebec
La Pêche is a municipality along both sides of the Gatineau River in the Outaouais region of Quebec, Canada, about north of downtown Hull. It is part of the Les Collines-de-l'Outaouais Regional County Municipality and comprises the following villages and...
. The southern terminus provides access to the Macdonald-Cartier Bridge
Macdonald-Cartier Bridge
The Macdonald-Cartier Bridge is a bridge connecting Ottawa, Ontario, to Gatineau, Quebec. The bridge is a 618 m long continuous steel box girder bridge and carries six lanes of traffic. It links King Edward Avenue and Sussex Drive in Ottawa with Autoroute 5 in Quebec...
, which continues into downtown Ottawa
Ottawa
Ottawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...
. The A-5 generally has four lanes of traffic (two per direction) with the exception of southernmost section across the Macdonald-Cartier Bridge where A-5 widens to six lanes (three per direction).
Part of Route 148
Quebec route 148
Route 148 is a major east-west highway in Quebec, Canada. It runs from Autoroute 25 in Laval in the Montreal region to the Ontario-Quebec border in L'Isle-aux-Allumettes in western Quebec. For most of its length, Route 148 follows the north shore of the Ottawa River where it acts as the principal...
overlapped A-5 from Autoroute 50
Quebec Autoroute 50
Autoroute 50 is an Autoroute in western Quebec. Once completed, it will link the Outaouais region to the Greater Montreal area....
to Saint-Raymond Boulevard until completion of des Allumettières Boulevard in 2007. With the completion of des Allumettières Boulevard, Route 148
Quebec route 148
Route 148 is a major east-west highway in Quebec, Canada. It runs from Autoroute 25 in Laval in the Montreal region to the Ontario-Quebec border in L'Isle-aux-Allumettes in western Quebec. For most of its length, Route 148 follows the north shore of the Ottawa River where it acts as the principal...
was rerouted onto the southern leg of Autoroute 50
Quebec Autoroute 50
Autoroute 50 is an Autoroute in western Quebec. Once completed, it will link the Outaouais region to the Greater Montreal area....
and then west towards Aylmer
Aylmer, Quebec
Aylmer is a former city in Quebec, Canada. It became a sector of the City of Gatineau on January 1, 2002. Located on the Ottawa River and Route 148 it is a part of the National Capital Region. The population in 2006 was 41 882 — approx. 16% of Gatineau...
on des Allumettières Boulevard.
There are currently two segments of A-5:
- The main segment is a freeway that continues for 21.5 km (13.4 mi) from the Macdonald-Cartier Bridge through the HullHull, QuebecHull is the central and oldest part of the city of Gatineau, Quebec, Canada. It is located on the west bank of the Gatineau River and the north shore of the Ottawa River, directly opposite Ottawa. As part of the Canadian National Capital Region, it contains offices for twenty thousand...
sector of Gatineau to a short access road to Route 105Quebec route 105Route 105 is a north-south highway in Quebec, Canada. It runs from Hull , where it is known as Boulevard Saint-Joseph , to Grand-Remous where it ends at Route 117....
south of WakefieldWakefield, QuebecWakefield is a village on the western shore of the Gatineau River, at the confluence of the La Pêche River in the Outaouais region of Quebec. The village, named after the town of Wakefield in West Yorkshire, England, is now the southern edge of the municipality of La Pêche, and was founded in 1830...
. - The second segment, built in 1993, is a short four-lane, at-grade expressway bypass of WakefieldWakefield, QuebecWakefield is a village on the western shore of the Gatineau River, at the confluence of the La Pêche River in the Outaouais region of Quebec. The village, named after the town of Wakefield in West Yorkshire, England, is now the southern edge of the municipality of La Pêche, and was founded in 1830...
, which overlaps Route 105Quebec route 105Route 105 is a north-south highway in Quebec, Canada. It runs from Hull , where it is known as Boulevard Saint-Joseph , to Grand-Remous where it ends at Route 117....
and Route 366Quebec Route 366Route 366 is a secondary highway in the Outaouais region of Quebec. It runs from Route 301 near Creemorne in the Pontiac to Route 148 in the city of Gatineau....
. The MTQ plans to eliminate the discontinuity between the two segments by 2012. Further extensions of A-5 north of Wakefield have been deemed unnecessary given the current AADT on Route 105Quebec route 105Route 105 is a north-south highway in Quebec, Canada. It runs from Hull , where it is known as Boulevard Saint-Joseph , to Grand-Remous where it ends at Route 117....
.
A 2.5 km (1.6 mi) extension of the southern segment past Tulip Valley, an area of Route 105
Quebec route 105
Route 105 is a north-south highway in Quebec, Canada. It runs from Hull , where it is known as Boulevard Saint-Joseph , to Grand-Remous where it ends at Route 117....
that has been the site of multiple fatal incidents in the past, was opened on 4 December 2009 following a $27 million extension project. Another $115 million 6.5 kilometres (4 mi) project began in 2010 to connect the south and north segments, completing the carriageway to Wakefield by 2012.
Beginning in June 2008, the MTQ began replacing the concrete surface from Ottawa to Saint-Joseph Boulevard
Boulevard Saint-Joseph
Boulevard Saint-Joseph is an important commercial boulevard in the former city of Hull, Quebec . It runs from Boulevard Alexandre-Tache to the boundaries of the city of Gatineau and the suburban town of Chelsea.-Southern section:...
with asphalt after multiple incidents in which pieces of concrete broke out from the surface including one that struck the windshield of a vehicle, killing its driver in November 2007. Construction was completed by the end of 2008.
Exit list from south to north
| Municipality | km | No. Exit number An exit number is a number assigned to a road junction, usually an exit from a freeway. It is usually marked on the same sign as the destinations of the exit, as well as a sign in the gore.... |
Destinations | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Macdonald-Cartier Bridge Macdonald-Cartier Bridge The Macdonald-Cartier Bridge is a bridge connecting Ottawa, Ontario, to Gatineau, Quebec. The bridge is a 618 m long continuous steel box girder bridge and carries six lanes of traffic. It links King Edward Avenue and Sussex Drive in Ottawa with Autoroute 5 in Quebec... over the Ottawa River Ottawa River The Ottawa River is a river in the Canadian provinces of Ontario and Quebec. For most of its length, it now defines the border between these two provinces.-Geography:... |
||||
| Gatineau | 0.3 | 1 | Boulevard Maisonneuve Boulevard Maisonneuve Boulevard Maisonneuve is an important arterial in the heart of Downtown Gatineau, Quebec. It serves as connector route between the Portage Bridge from Ottawa to Quebec Autoroutes 5 and 50 as well as Boulevard Fournier towards the Gatineau sector of the city, northern portions of the Hull sector and... , Boulevard Fournier Boulevard Fournier Boulevard Fournier is a main route in the city of Gatineau, Quebec that connects the Gatineau and Hull sectors. It starts as the extension of Boulevard Greber in the old city of Gatineau and ends at the entrance of the downtown core where it becomes Boulevard Maisonneuve which connects the... , downtown Gatineau |
Southbound exit is part of exit 2 |
| 0.8 | 2 | , Gatineau (downtown) | ||
| 2.6 | 3 | Boulevard du Casino / Boulevard Saint-Raymond, Aylmer Aylmer, Quebec Aylmer is a former city in Quebec, Canada. It became a sector of the City of Gatineau on January 1, 2002. Located on the Ottawa River and Route 148 it is a part of the National Capital Region. The population in 2006 was 41 882 — approx. 16% of Gatineau... , Pontiac Pontiac Regional County Municipality, Quebec Pontiac is a county regional municipality MRC Pontiac in the Outaouais region of Quebec, Canada. It should not be confused with the municipality of Pontiac, which is located inside the county regional municipality of Les Collines-de-l'Outaouais.... |
Towards westbound Highway 148 | |
| 4.1 | 5 | Signed as exits 5-N (north) and 5-S (south) northbound | ||
| 7.2 | 8 | Boulevard des Hautes-Plaines | ||
| Chelsea Chelsea, Quebec Chelsea is a municipality located immediately north of Gatineau, Quebec, Canada and about 7 miles north of Ottawa. Chelsea is located within Canada's National Capital Region. In 2006 the population was 6,703.... |
11.5 | 12 | Chemin Old Chelsea | Northbound exit and southbound entrance |
| 13.5 | 13 | |||
| 21.5 | 21 | Northbound exit and southbound entrance (presently) | ||
| 22.1 | At grade intersection | |||