Quebec Autoroute 35

Autoroute 35
Autoroute de la Vallée-des-Forts
Route information
Maintained by Transports Québec
Length	40 km[1][2][3] (25 mi)
Existed	1966[3]–present
Major junctions
South end	R-133 in Saint-Sébastien
North end	A-10 in Chambly
Location
Country	Canada
Province	Quebec
Major cities	Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Chambly, Carignan, Saint-Alexandre, Saint-Armand
Highway system
Quebec provincial highways Autoroutes List Former
← A-31 → A-40

Autoroute 35 (A-35) is an Autoroute in the region of Montérégie, Quebec, Canada. With the first section constructed in the 1960s, the A-35 links Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu with Montreal via the A-10. The A-35 is also the primary route for traffic between Montreal and Boston, although it ends 13.4 km (8.3 mi) short of the U.S. border. South of its current terminus in Saint-Sébastien, the A-35 continues as two-lane Route 133 (which becomes four-lane divided 6.5 km (4.0 mi) north of the border) to the border. An extension of A-35 to meet Interstate 89 at Saint-Armand will complete a nearly 500 km (310 mi) limited-access highway link between Montreal and Boston.^[4] It had been scheduled to open in 2017, but was delayed until 2023,^[5] and then delayed again until 2026.^[6]

Like many Quebec Autoroutes, the A-35 also has a name: Autoroute de la Vallée-des-Forts (Forts Valley Highway). The name refers to a chain of forts built by the French in the Richelieu Valley during the 17th and 18th centuries to defend their colonial settlements from the Iroquois. The A-35 used to be known as Autoroute de la Nouvelle-Angleterre (New England Motorway), referring to its role as a link between Quebec and New England.

History

First constructed in the 1960s, A-35 is currently a 40 km (25 mi) long, 4-lane spur route linking Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu to Autoroute 10. By 1966, 16 km (10 mi) connecting the A-10 in Chambly with Route 104 in Iberville were opened to traffic. Another 3 km (2 mi) of A-35 from Route 104 to its terminus with Route 133 were completed in 1967. Completion of the entire length of A-35 had been scheduled for that year in time for Expo 67, but the province instead focused on expediting construction of autoroutes and approach roads to the Expo site.^[7]

For many years, the A-35 featured at-grade intersections with St-Raphael Road and St-Andre Road in Saint-Luc. These intersections were closed in 1999; the St-Andre Road intersection was converted into a partial cloverleaf interchange, while St-Raphael Road was dead-ended on either side of the A-35.

A federal-provincial funding agreement is providing for the completion of the A-35 to Interstate 89 at the U.S. border. The project's objectives are to improve economic links between Quebec and New England, reduce traffic on Route 133 (which is ill-equipped for the traffic it currently carries) and improve quality of life in the region.^[4]

Construction of the A-35 extension began in 2009 between Saint-Alexandre and Saint-Sébastien. Construction of the 37.9 km (23.5 mi) extension is divided into four phases. The first sections (both Phase I and Phase II) of new highway between Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu and Highway 133 to Saint-Sébastien were opened to traffic on October 8, 2014.

Future

On June 10, 2019, Federal and provincial government officials announced plans to extend Quebec's Highway 35 by nearly 9 km (5.6 mi) in the southbound direction (Phase III), extending Highway 35 from Route 133 in Saint-Sébastien to the junction of Route 133 and chemin Champlain and du Moulin in Saint-Armand.^[8] This work began in 2020, and as of December 2023 the majority of Phase III has been completed, including an overpass for Route 202 over Highway 35 in Pike River.^[9] However, the bridge over Rivière-aux-Brochets is not finished due to a supply chain issue with steel beams.^[10][11]

Phase IV will complete 4.5 km (2.8 mi) of the project between the intersection of Route 133 and Champlain and du Moulin Roads in Saint-Armand to the U.S. border.^[12] An overpass with Route 133 passing over Highway 35, an interchange at the junction of Highway 35, Champlain Road and Route 133 at Saint-Armand, and a roundabout built just to the northeast of that at the intersection of Route 133 and Champlain and Moulin roads in Saint-Armand, were opened to traffic on October 11, 2023.^{[5][13][14][15]}

In addition, the interchange in Saint-Alexandre that was not built as part of Phase II of the extension, which had been planned for the location where Highway 227 crosses Highway 35 on Rang des Dussault, will be moved to the southeast to meet a re-routed Highway 227 that continues southwest from its current intersection at Rang des Soixante and Chemin de la Grande Ligne.^[13]

When completed, the length of A-35 will increase to 55 km (34 mi).

Exit list

RCM	Location	km	mi	Old exit	New exit	Destinations	Notes
Brome-Missisquoi	Saint-Armand	0.00	0.00		–	I-89 south to US 7 south – St. Albans, Burlington	Future continuation into Vermont; current R-133 southern terminus
				Canada–United States border at Highgate Springs–St. Armand/Philipsburg Border Crossing
					3	Chemin de Saint-Armand	Future interchange; to be completed by 2025
					6	R-133 (Chemin Champlain)	Future interchange; to be completed by the end of 2023
A-35 under construction; unopened south of R-133 (exit 15)
Le Haut-Richelieu	Saint-Sébastien	14.81	9.20		15	R-133 to R-227 / R-202 / I-89 – Bedford, Vermont, Henryville, Venise-en-Québec	At-grade intersection; future interchange; to be completed by the end of 2023; current A-35 southern terminus
	Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu	35.50	22.06		36	R-133 south (Chemin de la Grande-Ligne) / Boulevard d'Iberville – Sainte-Anne-de-Sabrevois	Northbound exit and southbound entrance
		37.61	23.37	1	38	R-133 south (Chemin de la Grande-Ligne) / Boulevard d'Iberville – Sainte-Anne-de-Sabrevois	South end of R-133 concurrency; southbound exit and northbound entrance
		39.18	24.35	3	39	R-104 east – Mont-Saint-Grégoire, Cowansville	South end of R-104 concurrency
		42.21	26.23	6	42	R-133 north (Chemin des Patriotes) – Richelieu	North end of R-133 concurrency
		43.55	27.06	7	43	R-223 (Boulevard du Séminaire) – Centre-Ville	Signed as exits 43N (north) and 43S (south)
		44.88	27.89	9	45	R-219 (Rue Pierre-Caisse)
		46.64	28.98	11	47	R-104 west (Boulevard Saint-Luc) – La Prairie	North end of R-104 concurrency; signed as exits 47E (east) and 47O (west)
		50.52	31.39	14	50	Chemin St-André
La Vallée-du-Richelieu	Carignan–Chambly	54.99	34.17	18	55	A-10 (Autoroute des Cantons-de-l'Est) – Montréal, Sherbrooke Boulevard Fréchette – Chambly	Signed as exits 55E (east) and 55O (west); A-10 exit 22; A-35 northern terminus
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi       Closed/former       Concurrency terminus       Incomplete access       Unopened

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Quebec Autoroute 35.

• Vallee des Forts Autoroute (A-35)
• Autoroute de la Vallée-des-Forts (35) - Prolongement(MTQ / Transports Québec) (in French)