Quebec Route 138

Quebec Route 138
Country	Canada
Province	Quebec
Type	QC
Route	138
Length km	1210
Direction a	West
Direction b	East
Terminus a	Ontario border (Hawkesbury)
Terminus b	Natashquan / Old Fort Bay

Quebec Route 138 is a provincially numbered highway traversing the north shore corridor from the Ontario–Quebec border to eastern Quebec communities along the Gulf of Saint Lawrence. The route links urban centres, historic settlements, and industrial ports, connecting transport nodes, cultural sites, and economic zones in regions such as Montreal, Trois-Rivières, Québec City, and the Côte-Nord.

Route description

The highway begins near the Ottawa River crossing at Hawkesbury, proceeding through the Montérégie and entering the Island of Montreal approaches via the Champlain Bridge and the Jacques Cartier Bridge corridors that serve Downtown Montreal, Old Montreal, and the Montreal Central Station interchange with the Autoroute 20 and Autoroute 15. From Montreal the corridor follows the Rive-Sud and then the South Shore riverfront past Longueuil, Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, and the industrial precincts adjacent to Laval and Repentigny. Continuing northeast the highway parallels the St. Lawrence River through the Port of Trois-Rivières and on to Trois-Rivières municipal services, intersecting routes toward Drummondville and the Autoroute 40 link to Ottawa–Gatineau.

East of Québec City the roadway traces the historic Chemin du Roy and serves Lévis, Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré, and the tourist approaches to Chicoutimi via linkages with regional routes. Further along the Charlevoix and Baie-Saint-Paul regions it passes near cultural centres such as the Cirque du Soleil administrative areas and access to La Malbaie cruise terminals. On the Côte-Nord the route connects port communities including Baie-Comeau, Sept-Îles, and Natashquan, intersecting ferries to Anticosti Island and linking industrial sites like the Alcoa Baie-Comeau smelter and the ArcelorMittal facilities in Port-Cartier. Along the easternmost stretches the road approaches remote settlements such as Kegaska and provides access to fishing harbours, national parks, and Innu communities.

History

Origins of the corridor date to the era of the New France colonial roads and the 18th-century Chemin du Roy which connected Montreal and Quebec City. The route evolved through 19th-century improvements associated with the Seigneurial system land organization and 20th-century modernization driven by the rise of the Automobile and federal infrastructure initiatives like the National Policy. Major upgrades occurred during the Great Depression era public works programs and again in the post-war expansion associated with the Quiet Revolution economic projects in Quebec.

Twentieth-century milestones include integration with the Trans-Canada Highway network near Ottawa and the development of autoroute bypasses coordinated with the Autoroute 20 and Autoroute 40 projects influenced by planners from institutions such as Ministère des Transports du Québec and consultants previously engaged with Canadian Pacific Railway route rationalizations. The corridor has seen continuous adaptation to events including the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal, which spurred urban interchange improvements, and industrial policies affecting ports at Sept-Îles during the global commodities cycles tied to Iron Ore markets. Contemporary history includes collaborations with Innu Takuaikan Uashat Mak Mani-Utenam for coastal access and adjustments after weather events linked to North Atlantic storms.

Major intersections

The highway intersects numerous provincial and national arteries, providing multimodal connectivity: - At the Ontario–Quebec border near Hawkesbury with links to Highway 17 and the Trans-Canada Highway corridor. - In the Montreal metropolitan area with connections to Autoroute 15, Autoroute 20, and access ways to Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport and Port of Montreal freight terminals. - At Trois-Rivières with junctions toward Autoroute 40 and regional routes to Drummondville and Sherbrooke. - Near Québec City with interchanges toward Autoroute 73, the St. Lawrence Seaway terminals, and ferry links to Lévis. - Along the Côte-Nord with major nodes serving Baie-Comeau (access to Daniel-Johnson Dam), Port-Cartier (industrial access to ArcelorMittal blast furnaces), and Sept-Îles (connections to the North Shore bulkports). - Eastern termini provide local junctions to coastal roads serving Natashquan, Kegaska, and access routes to Mingan Archipelago National Park Reserve ferry points.

Services and facilities

The corridor supports urban and rural services including seaport operations at Port of Montreal, Port of Quebec, and Port of Sept-Îles; intercity rail nodes at Gare du Palais in Québec City and Central Station (Montreal); and airport access to Montréal–Trudeau International Airport, Québec City Jean Lesage International Airport, and regional aerodromes like Baie-Comeau Airport. Along the route are cultural institutions such as the Musée national des beaux-arts du Québec, Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec, and historic sites like Fort Chambly and Château Frontenac visitor services. Emergency and maintenance services coordinate with agencies including Sûreté du Québec, regional municipal police forces, and provincial highway patrol units. Tourist services connect to UNESCO-listed sites in Old Quebec, seasonal ferry operators to Îles-de-la-Madeleine, and accommodations affiliated with national chains and local associations.

Future developments and extensions

Planned projects involve upgrades to improve resilience to climate impacts following recommendations from commissions responding to Hurricane Juan-type storms and Arctic weather pattern studies led by researchers affiliated with McGill University and Université Laval. Infrastructure investment programs coordinate municipal, provincial, and federal funding streams similar to initiatives that financed the Champlain Bridge replacement and the Louis-Hippolyte Lafontaine Tunnel expansions. Strategic priorities include extending continuous paved connections in remote eastern sectors, improving multimodal freight links to mineral export facilities at Sept-Îles and Port-Cartier, and enhancing Indigenous consultations with communities such as Innu Nation and Mamatawa authorities. Environmental assessments reference protections for habitats in Mingan and coastal management frameworks aligned with the Fisheries and Oceans Canada guidance while planners evaluate electrification of corridor services in line with provincial decarbonization policies.

Category:Roads in Quebec