Montpelier, Vt. - Governor Phil Scott and Vermont officials today congratulated the Ministry of Transport Quebec (MTQ) for breaking ground on the third segment of construction of Autoroute 35 (A-35), which will connect the Highgate Springs crossing of U.S.-Canadian border directly to Montreal.
“We are very pleased to see this phase of construction begin and we congratulate the MTQ on this exciting next step,” said Governor Scott. “The completion of the A-35 will be an economic boon to both Vermont and Quebec, reducing travel time, providing a more direct route, and encouraging more opportunities for business and recreation on both sides of the border. We look forward to its completion and returning to a time where we can be better connected to our neighbors to the north.”
The completion of A-35 from Montreal to the U.S. border at Highgate Springs is a major construction project for the MTQ, which will provide Vermont and other northeastern states with a four-lane limited-access highway, connecting Montreal to Boston via Vermont’s I-89 corridor. Segment 3 of A-35 stretches 8.9 kilometers (5.6 miles) from Route 133 in Saint-Sebastien south to Saint-Armand. Segment 4 is the final 4.5 kilometers (2.8 miles) that will connect south to the U.S-Canadian border. The MTQ indicates a full-completion target date in 2025.
“We are excited to see this next phase of the Autoroute 35 begin construction,” said Vermont Transportation Secretary Joe Flynn. “We’ll soon be one step closer to the long-awaited completion of a full interstate highway system that stretches from Boston to Montreal and provides for a nearly seamless travel option for passengers and commerce.”
Since the opening of the first two segments of A-35 between St. Jean sur Richelieu and St. Sebastien in October 2014, U.S. border crossing statistics already indicate a large increase in passenger vehicle traffic, as well as improved travel time for commercial vehicles. Once completed, this improved transportation link will likely reduce the numbers of heavy commercial trucks that currently travel to Vermont through New York ports of entry and across the environmentally-sensitive Missisquoi refuge, by providing a safer, faster route between the greater Montreal region and the Vermont interstate highway network into southern New England.
Quebec is one of Vermont’s largest trading partners and makes up the state’s highest percentage of international tourism. Completion of A-35 will expand business and leisure travel with an estimated travel time savings of 30-40 minutes from the border to Montreal.
Quebec officials, including François Bonnardel, the Minister of Transportation, held a press conference Thursday in Saint-Sebastien to announce the groundbreaking of Segment 3 and met with Secretary Flynn to discuss the project.