Highway 20 was closed after large holes appeared

Three large holes that appeared on Highway 20 forced the closure of expressways near Drummondville.

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“It’s called chimneys, localized ground fall […] It’s caused by pipeline work in the area, ”explained Roxanne Beller, a spokesman for the Minister des Transport (MTQ).

The first of these holes appears to be approximately two meters in diameter, according to the images obtained. The RegistrationLocated in the central reservation of this neural connection between Quebec and Montreal.

The other two are on either side of the road, at Boulevard Foucault in this municipality of center-to-Quebec.

According to Drummondville city spokesman Dominic Villeneuve, the poultry company La Ferme des Voltigeurs is just the beginning. She was busy with an expansion project that would require more water supply in the area.

The tip of the iceberg

The MTQ, which announced the situation on Saturday morning, began to completely close this section of Highway 20 in both directions. A team of engineers specializing in geotechnics went to the site to study the situation.

“Closing the road is undoubtedly the right thing to do. A van may have passed by and the ground may have collapsed under its weight,” said Mark-Andre Martin, president of the Association of Civil Engineers (APIGQ).

It is not uncommon for visible holes to be the tip of the iceberg, he points out. These chimneys are often made in the shape of a cone, where the collapsed foundation is much wider.

“Usually, this happens due to lack of depth during excessive excavation or drilling, which creates drainage of the soil,” explains the man, recalling the importance of government engineers when it comes time to solve this kind of problem.

Painful detour

Motorists should be patient, if necessary, until recommendations are sent and tasks are completed. Yesterday afternoon, already, the hats were extended to a length of six kilometers on the highway.

Exit via the only bridge over the Saint-François River at 181, rue Montplaisir, Route 122 and Route 143 for a ten-kilometer diversion.

All traffic that normally ends on the Trans-Canada Highway must pass through the municipality indefinitely.

“We call on the people of Drummondville to be extra careful and avoid the area. It’s sure to be a terrible congestion for the next few days,” Dominic Villeneuve said.