The St-Jacques Bridge project involved the reconstruction of the St-Jacques Street overpass spanning the Décarie Expressway (A-15) in Montreal. The new cable-stayed, two-span overpass spans six lanes and 120 metres, linking Girouard Avenue and Décarie Boulevard, near the McGill University Health Centre super-hospital.
The bridge has distinctive architectural features, including steel cables splaying like wings from the central tower which are meant to evoke the form of an airplane. The unique design helps to give the 2,100-tonne bridge a sense of lightness, while the 10 cables anchored to the bridge provide structural support. The bridge’s spire is 55 metres high, roughly the height of a 15-storey building. It was built in Quebec City in three sections that weigh 14, 40 and 50 tonnes, respectively.