Quebec Autoroute 85


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 the Autoroute Claude-Béchard. It is currently under construction with committed Federal and Provincial funding for its completion, with an estimated completion date of 2025. Once this upgrade is completed, it will close one of the last gaps in the nearly continuous freeway section of the Trans-Canada between Arnprior, Ontario, and Sutherlands River, Nova Scotia, and for an even longer interprovincial freeway route between Windsor, Ontario and Halifax, Nova Scotia. Running between Rivière-du-Loup and a junction with New Brunswick Route 2 at the Quebec-New Brunswick border, the A-85 when complete will be the only controlled access highway link between the Maritime Provinces and the rest of the country. The A-85 is projected to be approximately 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 the A-85. Constructed in 1970, the first section runs from Saint-Antonin to a junction with the A-20 at Notre-Dame-du-Portage. 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 to Saint-Louis-du-Ha! Ha!. Construction began in 2002 in the vicinity of Témiscouata-sur-le-Lac and continued to 2016.

Route description

Southern segment

The 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 the A-85 would be named for Claude Béchard, a longtime Member of the National Assembly from Bas-Saint-Laurent.
From the New Brunswick border, the A-85 briefly parallels the main runway of the Edmundston Airport, which straddles the interprovincial border. The A-85 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, the A-85 passes through Témiscouata-sur-le-Lac, with exits at km 29, km 37, and km 40. At Saint-Louis-du-Ha! Ha!, the controlled-access highway ends and the route resumes its designation as Route 185.

Northern segment

The second section of the A-85 begins in Saint-Antonin with exits at km 89, km 90, and km 93 as it traverses the Saint 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, 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 the A-20 and Ontario Highway 401, or Ottawa via the A-40 and Ontario Highway 417.

History

kmYearNotes
0-82014New Brunswick to Kilometre 8
8-142013Kilometre 8 to Dégelis
14-152004Dégelis
15-222013Dégelis to Témiscouata-sur-le-lac
22-292015South of Témiscouata-sur-le-lac
29-302002Témiscouata-sur-le-lac
30-362014Témiscouata-sur-le-lac
36-382009Témiscouata-sur-le-lac
38-442011Témiscouata-sur-le-lac to St-Louis-du-Ha! Ha!
44-482009St-Louis-du-Ha! Ha!
48-562025 St-Louis-du-Ha! Ha! to Saint-Honoré-de-Témiscouata
56-622022 Saint-Honoré-de-Témiscouata
62-702025 Saint-Honoré-de-Témiscouata to Saint-Hubert-de-Rivière-du-Loup
72-762021 Saint-Hubert-de-Rivière-du-Loup to Saint-Antonin
76-852022 Saint-Antonin
85-882021 Saint-Antonin
88-9420053e Rang in Saint-Antonin to Rivière-du-Loup
94-1011972From Rivière-du-Loup to Autoroute 20/Trans-Canada Highway West

Exit list