A truck driver in Montreal caused the closure of the La Fontaine tunnel southbound for several hours on Tuesday morning by hitting metal panels below the tunnel entrance ceiling. The driver is facing a fine of $620 for exceeding the maximum height limit allowed for vehicles. The truck, which was carrying a mechanical shovel, was 4.52 meters tall, surpassing the permissible 4.15-meter height limit that requires special authorization from the Ministry of Transportation of Quebec (MTQ).
Despite warnings from a metal structure indicating the height restrictions, the trucker continued on and collided with the metal panels. Fortunately, the incident only resulted in superficial damages to the structure, as confirmed by Transport Quebec engineers who were on-site during the closure. The tunnel was reopened just before 12:30 p.m., and northbound traffic remained unaffected.
Thankfully, no injuries were reported from the incident, and the Ministry of Transportation will be conducting an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the accident. Additionally, it was announced that the tunnel will be closed in both directions during the night of October 17 to 18 for essential electrical, communications, and maintenance work.
