Quebec Autoroute 85

Error creating thumbnail: sh: /usr/local/bin/rsvg-convert: not found 72pxAutoroute 85
Autoroute Claude-Béchard
<mapframe frameless="1" width="290" height="290" align="center">{{Wikipedia:Map data/Wikipedia KML/Quebec Autoroute 85}}</mapframe>
Route information
Maintained by Transports Québec
Length:	77.0 km (47.8 mi)
Existed:	2002 – present
Major junctions
South end:	Route 2 (TCH) near Moulin-Morneault, NB
	Route 232 in Témiscouata-sur-le-Lac Rue Fraserville, Rivière-du-Loup
North end:	A-20 (TCH) in Notre-Dame-du-Portage
Location
Major cities:	Rivière-du-Loup, Témiscouata-sur-le-Lac, Saint-Antonin, Dégelis, Saint-Louis-du-Ha! Ha!
Highway system
Quebec provincial highways ← A-73 Route 101 →

Autoroute 85 is a Quebec Autoroute and the route of the Trans-Canada Highway in the province's Bas-Saint-Laurent region, also known as Autoroute Claude-Béchard. It is currently under construction with committed Federal and Provincial funding for its completion, with an estimated completion date of 2026. Once this upgrade is completed, it will close the last gap in the nearly continuous freeway section of the Trans-Canada between Arnprior, Ontario, and Antigonish, Nova Scotia, and for an even longer interprovincial freeway route between Windsor, Ontario and Halifax, Nova Scotia. Running between Rivière-du-Loup (at a junction with Autoroute 20) and a junction with New Brunswick Route 2 at the Quebec-New Brunswick border, A-85 when complete will be the only controlled access highway link between the Maritime Provinces and the rest of the country. A-85 is projected to be approximately 100 km (60 mi) long when construction is complete and is intended to replace Route 185, which has been called one of the deadliest highways in Canada.

Currently there are two completed sections of A-85. The first section runs from Saint-Antonin (km 87) to a junction with the A-20 at Notre-Dame-du-Portage (km 100). Originally signed as Route 185 when built, it was designed as A-85 in 2005 following extensive rehabilitation. The second, newer section extends from the New Brunswick border (km 0) to Saint-Louis-du-Ha! Ha! (km 48). Construction began in 2002 in the vicinity of Témiscouata-sur-le-Lac and it was completed in 2016. The government of Quebec is currently building the final section from Saint-Antonin to Saint-Louis-du-Ha! Ha!, and it is scheduled to be completed in 2026.

Route description

Southern segment

A-85 begins at the Quebec-New Brunswick border as the continuation of New Brunswick Route 2 and the Trans-Canada Highway. In 2010, the Quebec government announced that A-85 would be named for Claude Béchard, a longtime Member of the National Assembly from Bas-Saint-Laurent.

From the New Brunswick border, A-85 briefly parallels the main runway of the Edmundston Airport, which straddles the interprovincial border. The freeway travels in a northwesterly direction, following the course of the Madawaska River. The autoroute passes Dégelis to the west with exits at km 12, km 14, and km 15. Briefly skirting the south shore of Lake Témiscouata, A-85 passes through Témiscouata-sur-le-Lac, with exits at km 29, km 37, and km 40, providing access to Lac-Témiscouata National Park. At Saint-Louis-du-Ha! Ha! (km 48), the controlled-access highway ends and the route resumes its designation as Route 185.

Northern segment

The second section of A-85 begins in Saint-Antonin with exits at km 89, km 90, and km 93 as it traverses the Great Lakes–St. Lawrence Lowlands. Exit 93 provides access to Route 191 which bypasses Rivière-du-Loup to the south and provides the most direct route for motorists bound for Rimouski, Mont-Joli, and Gaspésie via eastbound A-20. After one last exit (km 97), the A-85 merges with westbound A-20 at the Saint Lawrence River. Westbound A-20 assumes the Trans-Canada Highway designation, continuing on to Québec City and Montréal, then to Windsor via A-20 and Ontario Highway 401, or Ottawa via the A-40 and Ontario Highway 417.

History

File:Autoroute 85, Rivière-du-Loup 03.JPG

Autoroute 85 in Rivière-du-Loup looking North towards the Saint Lawrence River

The first section of A-85 that was built stretched from km 94 in Rivière-du-Loup to A-20 at km 100. This section opened in 1972 as Route 185.

In 2002, a bypass of Notre-Dame-du-Lac was built, then in 2004, a bypass of Dégelis was constructed.

In 2005, the initial segment saw an extension south to km 88 in Saint-Antonin. The freeway was officially signed as A-85 from km 88 to km 100 in anticipation of the conversion of Route 185.

In 2009, bypasses of Cabano and Saint-Louis-du-Ha! Ha! opened, and in 2011, those bypasses were connected.

In 2013, the bypass of Dégelis was extended both ways, with the new freeway stretching from km 8 to km 22. It would be extended further south and tied into New Brunswick Route 2 in 2014.

Also in 2014, the Notre-Dame-du-Lac and Cabano bypasses were connected, and then in 2015, the freeway was extended to km 48.

In 2021 and 2022, the initial segment saw further extension south, with the new freeway stretching from km 76 to km 100. Another separate segment was constructed between km 56 and km 62. The entire freeway is meant to be connected by 2026.

Exit list

Region	Location	km	mi	Exit	Destinations	Notes
Témiscouata	Dégelis	0.0	0.0	–	Route 2 (TCH) east – Edmundston, Fredericton	Continuation into New Brunswick; Trans-Canada Highway continues east
		0.75	0.47	1	Avenue de la Madawaska	Southbound access is from New Brunswick Route 2
		7.2	4.5	7	Traverse Johnny-Griffin
		12.4	7.7	12	Rue Industrielle / Avenue du Longeron	Southbound exit and entrance
		13.5	8.4	Route 295 (7e Rue) /  – Dégelis, Saint-Jean-de-la-Lande, Saint-Juste-du-Lac	Northbound exit and entrance
		14.4	8.9	14	Route 295 (7e Rue) – Dégelis, Saint-Jean-de-la-Lande, Saint-Juste-du-Lac	No northbound exit
		15.4	9.6	Avenue Principale – Packington	Northbound exit and entrance
	Témiscouata-sur-le-Lac	24.5	15.2	24	Chemin du Lac, Packington	Access via Route Saint Benoit
		28.2– 28.9	17.5– 18.0	29	Rue de l'Église / Rue Commerciale – Saint-Eusèbe, Notre-Dame-du-Lac
		29.6	18.4	30	Rue Commerciale	Northbound exit and entrance
		32.5	20.2	33	Montée du Détour
		37.2	23.1	37	Route 232 west (Rue Cascades) – Rivière-Bleue, Pohénégamook	South end of R-232 concurrency
		39.9	24.8	40	Route 232 east (Rue Commerciale) – Saint-Michel-du-Squatec, Rimouski	North end of R-232 concurrency
	Saint-Louis-du-Ha! Ha!	47.5	29.5	47	Saint-Louis-du-Ha! Ha!, Saint-Elzéar-de-Témiscouata	Access via Rue Raymond
		49.3	30.6	–	Route 185 (TCH) north	Road transitions to Route 185; south end of 38 km (24 mi) gap in A-85
	Saint-Honoré-de-Témiscouata	56	35	56	Rue Principale	Northbound exit and southbound entrance; Part of Phase III extension
		60	37	60	Route 291 north – Saint-Honoré-de-Témiscouata, Saint-Hubert-de-Rivière-du-Loup	Part of Phase III extension
		66	41	66	Rue Principale Nord / 10e Rang	Southbound exit and northbound entrance; Part of Phase III extension
Rivière-du-Loup	Saint-Hubert-de-Rivière-du-Loup	71	44	71	Chemin Taché Ouest	Part of Phase III extension
	Saint-Antonin	85	53	85	Chemin de Rivière-Verte	Part of Phase III extension
		88.0	54.7	–	Route 185 (TCH) south	Road transitions from R-185; north end of 38 km (24 mi) gap in A-85
		89.2	55.4	89	Rue Principale – Saint-Antonin
		90.4	56.2	90	1er Rang – Saint-Modeste, Saint-Antonin	Southbound exit and northbound entrance
	Rivière-du-Loup	93.4	58.0	93	Route 191 (Boulevard Industriel) to A-20 east – Rivière-du-Loup, Rimouski
		96.0	59.7	96	Chemin Fraserville – Rivière-du-Loup
		97.6	60.6	25px Fraserville Rest Stop (Northbound)
	Notre-Dame-du-Portage	99.9	62.1	100	A-20 (TCH) west – Québec	Eastbound exit, westbound entrance; exit 499 on A-20; Trans-Canada Highway follows A-20 west
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi       Concurrency terminus       Incomplete access       Route transition

External links

• Transport Quebec website
• Transports Quebec Map
• A-85 at motorways-exits.com
• A-85 at Quebec Autoroutes
• Press release on A-85 opening

Preceded by 15px15px Autoroute 20

15px Trans-Canada Highway Autoroute 85

Succeeded by 15px Route 185