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A-40 (Quebec)

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Hitching the A-40

Legend:   (very good) |   (good) |   (average) |   (bad) |   (senseless)

The A-40, known as Autoroute 40 and officially named Autoroute Félix-Leclerc and Autoroute de la Rive-Nord runs on one stretch from the border of Ontario to the West and finishes just East of Quebec city. The A-40 highway continues its path into Ontario as the H-417, which goes towards Ottawa, the provincial border in Rigaud. It also runs parallel to the St-Lawrence River on its northern bank crossing the main urban areas on Montreal Island, Trois-Rivières before finally reaching Quebec city where the highway finally merge with the National Route 138 continuing further East. In between these three main cities, you cross a long rural landscape going from farmland to a big nothing in these rural areas it could be feasable to hitch along the highway itself at some point. This gets impossible the nearer of Montreal you get.

The A-40 is part of the Transcanadian Highway between Montreal and the ontarian border.

Section West - Ontario border and Montreal Metropolitan

In Montérégie, Montreal, Lanaudières Regions

In Montreal Metropolitan, the A-40 runs in the northern part of the Montreal island and is known as Autoroute Metropolitaine until it reaches the St-Lawrence North Shore at the 'Charles-De-Gaulle Bridge' in Repentigny. The A-40 highway also includes two periphical By-Pass branches meant to avoid the urban traffic of downtown Montreal and facilitate the transport towards the northern regions of Laurentides/Lanaudières. From Repentigny, the A-440 and the A-640 aim to By-Pass Montreal Island, the A-440 goes through and finishes in Laval while the A-640 follows the Northern shore before finishing in the surrounding of Oka. Both connects with the A-13 that runs North-South back to the main A-40 on Montreal Island and the A-15 which also goes further north.

Autoroute 40 as 'Trans-Canada Highway' - border Ontario:


As Autoroute Félix-Leclerc


  • (1)   Ontario/Quebec border (Route 342 (Qc)/ Prescott and Russell County Road 14 (Ont))
  • (2)   (Montee Wilson)
  • (6)   (Montee Baie St-Thomas)
  • (9)   (Chemin de la Baie (Route 342))
  • (12)   Route Harwood ( Route 342) / Chemin de la Mairie
  •   (Eastbound Only)
  • (17)   (Route 201)
  • (22)   (Cote du St-Charles)
  • (26)   (Chemin Daoust / Route Harwood ( Route 342))
    • Splitted Ramp, Entrance 1km further from Exit
  • (32)   Junction Autoroute 540
  • (35)   (Avenue Saint-Charles)
  • (36)   (Chemin des Chenaux)

Pont de l'Île-aux-Tourtes


  • (40)   (Autoroute 40 turnaround (westbound only))
    • Westbound Exit and Eastbound Entrance
  • (41)   (Boulevard des Anciens-Combattants / Chemin Sainte-Marie)
  • (44)   (Boulevard Morgan)
    • Eastbound Exit onto a 'Frontage road'
  • (49)   (Chemin Sainte-Marie)
    • Exit onto a 'Frontage road'
  • (50)   (Boulevard Saint-Charles)
    • Exit and Entrance through a 'Frontage road'
  • (52)   (Boulevard Saint-Jean)
    • Exit and Entrance through a 'Frontage road'
  • (55)   (Boulevard des Sources)
    • Exit and Entrance through a 'Frontage road'
  • (58)   (Henri-Bourassa Blvd./ Hymus Blvd.)
    • Exit and Entrance through a 'Frontage road'
  • (60)   Junction Autoroute Chomedey A-13

As Route Transcanadienne



As Autoroute Metropolitaine


  • (67)   Montreal (westbound exit / eastbound entrance)(Boulevard Décarie / Boulevard Marcel-Laurin (Route 117))
    • Presence of a 'Frontage road' (Chemin de la Côte-de-Liesse)
      • Eastbound Exit through 'Frontage road' (Chemin de la Côte-de-Liesse at   (65)
      • Entrance   Westbound at   (62), Eastbound through   (66)
  • (68)   Montreal (eastbound only) (De L'Acadie Blvd., Stinson St.)
    • Presence of a 'Frontage road' (Chemin de la Côte-de-Liesse)
    • Chance to Access other destinations in Montreal Nord through 'Frontage road' (Chemin de la Côte-de-Liesse)
    • Chance to get to 'Mont-Royal Train Station'
    • Chance to get to Montreal Underground System, Station 'Acadie'
  • (71)   Montreal (Route 335 Saint-Laurent blvd., Saint-Denis St.)
    • Presence of a 'Frontage road' (Boulevard Crémazie-Ouest)
    • Chance to get to Montreal Underground System
  • (73)   Montreal (Papineau Ave.(to Autoroute 19) Saint-Hubert St., Christophe-Colomb Ave., Papineau Ave.)
    • Presence of a 'Frontage road' (Boulevard Crémazie-Est)
    • Chance to get to Montreal Underground System
    • Chance to get to Laval and the A-440 by-pass
    • Chance to get to Montreal downtown East End or South Bank Montreal Metropolitan destinations through Pont Jacques-Cartier
  • (74)   Montreal (Iberville St.)
    • Presence of a 'Frontage road' (Boulevard Crémazie-Est)
    • Chance to get to Montreal Underground System
  • (75)   Montreal (Saint-Michel Blvd)
    • Presence of a 'Frontage road' (Boulevard Crémazie-Est)
    • Chance to get to Montreal Underground System
  • (76)   Montreal (Pie-IX Blvd.(Route 125) / Viau Blvd)
    • Presence of a 'Frontage road' (Boulevard Crémazie-Est/Boulevard Metropolitan Est)
    • Chance to get to East Montreal and Olympic District destinations
  • (77)   Montreal (Lacordaire Blvd.)
    • Presence of a 'Frontage road' (Boulevard Metropolitan Est)
  • (78)   Montreal (Langelier Blvd., Des Galeries-d'Anjou Blvd)
    • Presence of a 'Frontage road' (Boulevard Metropolitan Est)
    • Chance to get to Montreal Underground System

End of A-40 as Trans-Canada Highway


  • (82)   Montreal (Roi-René Blvd./ Ray-Lawson Blvd.)
    • Access through 'Frontage road' (Boulevard Metropolitan Est)
  • (83)/(85)   Montreal (Frontage Access only) (Marien Ave.(eastbound)/Saint-Jean-Baptiste Blvd.(westbound))
    • Access through 'Frontage road' (Boulevard Metropolitan Est)
  • (87)   Montreal (eastbound only) (du Tricentenaire Blvd. / Henri-Bourassa Blvd. (eastbound only))
    • Access through 'Frontage road' (Boulevard Metropolitan Est)
  • (89)   Montreal (westbound only) (Henri-Bourassa Blvd.)
    • Access through 'Frontage road' (Boulevard Metropolitan Est)
    • Frontage Road turnaround (Boulevard Metropolitan Est) - (Westbound)
  • (92)   Montreal (Eastbound exit/Westbound entrance) (Gouin Blvd. / Autoroute 40 turnaround (eastbound only))


Pont Charles-de-Gaulle

As Autoroute Félix-Leclerc



  • (94)   (Lachenaie (Route 344))
    • Chance to get onto East Montreal destinations through local road
    •   
  • (96)   Junction Autoroute 640 By-pass
    • Montreal Northern By-pass (note: incomplete)
    • Chance to get to North Shore
    • Chance to get to Laval through By-pass A-440
    • Chance to get onto East Montreal destinations through local road
    • Chance to head north towards Ottawa on the A-50 or towards Abitibi northern region and the Trans-Taiga Route
  • (97)   (Eastbound exit/Westbound entrance) (Boulevard Pierre-Legardeur (eastbound only))
    • Chance to get onto East Montreal destinations through local road

Pont Benjamin-Moreau


  • (98)/(100)   Frontage road access (Boulevard Larochelle (eastbound)/Boulevard Brien;Boulevard Industriel (westbound))
  • (102)   (Westbound exit) (Rue Valmont)
    • Access through 'Frontage road'
  • (108)   (Route 341 / Route 343)
    • Access through 'Frontage road'
  • (118) Point-du-Jour Services    
    •   (very good) - The Services is located in the median strip, enabling you to change direction and hitch cars to any directions, it usually is a common stop for all drivers doing long distance along the A-40




Autoroute 440 (Laval)

Western end as Avenue des Bois in Laval As Autoroute Laval

    • Continue westward as Avenue des Bois
  • End of A-440
    • Continue Eastward merged as A-25




Autoroute 640 (Laurentides/Lanaudières)

Western end as Chemin des Collines/Chemin d'Oka (Route 344) in Oka As Autoroute 640

    • Continue westward as Chemin des Collines
  • Crossroad Route 344 - Chemin d'Oka
  • (2)   (Chemin Principal Saint-Joseph-du-Lac)
    • Eastbound Entrance / Westbound Exit
  • (8)   (Boulevard des Promenades/Avenue 20e)
  • (11)   (Boulevard Arthur-Sauve, Route 148)
  • (14)   (25e Avenue)
  • (16)   Autoroute Chomedey A-13
  • (19)   (Boul. de la Grande-Allée) (Eastbound)
    • Westbound access through Frontage road at previous exit
  • (20)   Autoroute des Laurentides A-15
    • Chance to head north towards Laurentides
    • Chance to head south towards Montreal West End and Dorval Airport]]
    • Access through a Frontage road
  • (22)   (Boul. du Curé Labelle/Route 117)
  • (22/23)   (Boul. Robert Abbott) (Westbound only)
  • (24)   (Chemin du Bas-de-Ste-Thérèse)
  • (26)   (Boul. de Gaulle)
  • (28)   (Boulevard des Laurentides/Route 335)
  • (35)   (Boul des Entreprises)
  • (38)   (Chemin Gascon/Route 337)
  • (42)   A-25
    • Access Westward to A-440 Autoroute Laval
    • Chance to head north towards further Lanaudières destinations
  • (44)   (Chemin Charles-Aubert/Rue Louis-Hébert Montréal/Mascouche Airport)
  • (45)   (Montee Dumais/Chemin de la Cabane-Ronde)
  • (53)   A-40 Autoroute de la Rive-Nord
  • Crossroad Rue Émile-des-Pins/Route 344
  • Crossroad Rue Notre-Dame/Route 138
  • End of A-640


Autoroute 540 (Monteregie)

Short Connector between the A-40 and the A-20 west of Montreal Metropolitan

  • (32)   A-40 Autoroute Félix-Leclerc
  • (3)   (Route 340 - Boul. de la Cité-des-Jeunes - Vaudreuil)
  •   (Northbound only) (Rue Henry-Ford/Route Harwood (Route 342))
  • (29)   A-20


In construction: the A-540 will be due to continue southwards as the A-30 in the future, permitting the existance of a complete by-pass highway south of Montreal to exist.





Section Centre Trois-Rivieres

In Lanaudières and Montérégie Regions

In Trois-Rivières, the By-Pass highway project has never been built. Therefore, the highway runs directly into downtown and requires that you overlap onto the A-55 for a few km on the western part of the city. Note that the southern junction between the A-40 and A-55 would be a dangerous hitching disaster (therefore do not hitch along the highway there!), the northern junction (leading to Montreal westbound) would even enable you to hitch directly on the highway viaduc itself. The distance to travel on the A-55 is about 4km in term of Canadian distance its short enough to usually have a driver do the detour to drop you there.


As Autoroute de la Rive-Nord and Autoroute Félix-Leclerc

  • (118) Point-du-Jour Services    
    •   (very good) - The Services is located in the median strip, enabling you to change direction and hitch cars to any directions, it usually is a common stop for all drivers doing long distance along the A-40
  • (122)     Autoroute Antonio-Barrette A-30 (Joliette - Autoroute A-30/Route 131)
  • (130)   (Chemin de Joliette)
  • (141)   (Eastbound exit/Westbound entrance) (Rang Ste-Philomène)
  • (144)   Berthierville (Avenue Gilles-Villeneuve)
    • Chance to get to the St-Lawrence south shore through the Sorel bridge
    •   
  • (151)   (Route 138)
  • (155)   (Montee St-Laurent)
  • (160)   (Rang de la Rivière Sud-Est)
    • (West) Include 'Frontage road' Eastbound exit and Westbound entrance
  •   Pointe-du-Lac Rest Area
    •   Temporary Seasonnal Snack
    • Major Summer Halt/Pic-Nic Area
  • (166)   (Route Livernoche)
  • (174)   (Route du Pays-Brûlé)
  • (180)   (Chemin St-Jacques/Boulevard Duchesne (Route 153))
  • (187)   (Rue Notre-Dame (Route 138))
  • (189)   (Rang St-Charles)
  • (192)   (Chemin des Petites-Terres)
  • (196)    Autoroute Transquebecoise A-55
    • Possibility to hitch at this junction
    • Chance to head north towards Lac-St-Jean Region
    • Chance to head south towards Trois-Rivières or the south shore of the St-Lawrence through Pont Laviolette


A-40/A-55 Overlap for 3 km




Saint-Maurice River bridge



Pont Rivière Batiscan


  • (236)   (2e Avenue ( Route 159))

Pont Rivière Ste-Anne






Section East Greater Quebec Region

In Greater Quebec Region

In Quebec city, the A-40 (known as 'Autoroute de la Capitale') act as a By-Pass while the A-440 (known as 'Boulevard Charest') goes directly into downtown. Both the A-40 and A-440 terminates in the vicinity of Quebec city crossing the path of the A-73 (Northwards to Chicoutimi and Southwards to Maine), to continue on a journey further East, you would have to follow the National Road 138 towards Charlevoix. West of Quebec city, in the region of Portneuf, it could be feasable to hitch along the highway itself at some point.

As Autoroute de la Rive-Nord and Autoroute Félix-Leclerc

  • (236)   (2e Avenue (Route 159))

Pont Rivière Ste-Anne



Pont Rivière Jacques-Cartier


  • (274)   Portneuf (Rue de l'Eglise/2e Rang)
  • (281)   Portneuf (Route 365)
  • (285)   Portneuf (Route Gravel)
  • Capitale-Nationale Rest Area (Eastbound only)
  •   Portneuf Rest Area (Westbound only)
  • Trucker Weight-Scale Balance
  • (295)   Portneuf (Route de Fossambault (Route 367))
  • (298)   (Route 138)
    •   (Eastward)
  • (300)   (Chemin du Lac)
  • (302)   (Route Jean-Gauvin)
  • (304)   (Avenue Le Gendre)
  • (305)   A-540 (Autoroute Duplessis) / Route de l'Aéroport   (senseless)
  • (306)   (Avenue Blaise-Pascal)
  • (307)   A-40 (Northbound)/Autoroute Henri-IV ( A-73 South/A-573 North)
    • Chance to go onto the A-73 North/South, chance to join the A-20 on the St-Lawrence South shore
    • Chance to go towards the South shore destinations
    • Chance to continue by the A-40 By-pass
    • Chance to go towards the northern destinations


Continue as A-440 West Autoroute Charest into downtown Quebec city

  • (12)   Autoroute Henri-IV - Overlap - A-40 (North) ( A-73 South/A-573 North)
    • Chance to go onto the A-73 North/South, chance to join the A-20 on the St-Lawrence South shore
    • Chance to go towards the South shore destinations
    • Chance to continue by the A-40 By-pass
    • Chance to go towards the northern destinations
  • (15)   A-740 (Autoroute du Vallon) (Rue Jean-Talon, Avenue Dalton, Avenue Watt, Rue Einstein)
    • Chance to go towards Ste-Foy University district Centre
    • Chance to continue by the A-40 By-pass
    • Chance to go towards the northern destinations
  • Crossroad 'Frontage road' (Rue Jean-Talon)
  • Crossroad (Av. St-Sacrement)

End of Fast-lane A-440 West, continue downtown Quebec city as Boulevard Charest



Overlap - A-40 (East)/ A-73 (North)/A-573 North


As Autoroute de la Capitale Overlap - A-40 (East)/ A-73 (North)


  • (308)   (Boulevard de l'Ormiere (Route 371))

Pont Rivière


  • (310)   (Rue Letourneau / Rue Arnaud)
    • No direct access to the other side of the highway (2km)
  • (311)   A-740 (Autoroute du Vallon)
    • Chance to go towards Ste-Foy University district Centre
    • Chance to access the northern suburbs
  • (312)   (Boulevard Pierre-Bertrand (Route 358))
  • (313)   Autoroute Laurentienne (Route 175)
    • Chance to change onto the A-73 northwards to the Saguenay region
    • Chance to go to Quebec city Downtown

End of Overlap, continue as Autoroute de la Capitale A-40


  • (315)   (1er Avenue)
  • (316)   (Boulevard Henri-Bourassa)
  • (318)   (Avenue du Bourg-Royal)
  • (319)   (Rue Cambronne (eastbound)/Rue Clemenceau (westbound))
  • (320)   (Rue Seigneuriale)
  • (321)   (Rue Labelle)
  • (322)   (Boulevard des Chutes)
  • (323)   A-440 East (Autoroute Dufferin-Montmorency)
    • Chance to get into Quebec city East End Downtown and Upper City
  • (325)   (Boulevard Ste-Anne (Route 138)/Route 368, Île d'Orléans)

End of A-40 Continue eastward as Route 138



Continue as A-440 East Autoroute Dufferin-Montmorency into downtown Quebec city

  • (29)   A-40 Autoroute de la Capitale
    • Chance to go onto the A-73
    • Chance to go towards eastern destinations onto Côte-de-Beaupré - Île d'Orléans - Charlevoix on Route 138
    • Chance to continue by the A-40 By-pass
    • Chance to go towards the northern destinations
  • (27)   (Boulevard des Chutes, Rue du Manége)
  • Crossroad (Boulevard François-de-Laval - Beauport)
  • (24)   Westbound entrance and Exit/Eastbound entrance (Avenue d'Estimauville)
    • Exit through 'Frontage road'   (23)
  • (23)   (Boulevard Henri-Bourassa)
  • (22)   (Boulevard des Capucins, Boulevard Champlain (Route 136))

Pont Rivière




A-440 (Quebec) Autoroutes Charest & Dufferin-Montmorency

See the appropriate sections outlined and included in the A-40 description above




A-540 (Quebec) Autoroute Duplessis

Begins Quebec city Airport Southwards

    • (Continue Northwards as country road until 'Val-Bélair' Borough)
    • Joins Route 358 northwards

As Route de l'Aéroport


  • Crossroad Aéroport de Québec (Rue Principale)
    •   (good) people will most likely be altruist to help you out as there is no local transport from the airport
    • There is a local Gas Station/Donut store at this corner
  • Crossroad On-Grade
  • Crossroad On-Grade
  • Crossroad College
  • Crossroad (Boul. Wilfrid-Hamel) (Route 138)
  • Crossroad (Cinema Mega-Plex)
  • Crossroad (Rue Jules-Verne, Rue Laberge)
  • (3)   A-540 (Autoroute Duplessis) / Route de l'Aéroport
    •   (senseless) - Fast lanes

As Autoroute Duplessis

  •   (senseless) - Do not venture as pedestrian along the fast lanes as it is narrowed without shoulder with many blinded corner for drivers.

  • (5)   (Chemin Ste-Foy)
  • (6/7)   (Chemin des Quatre-Bourgeois)
  • (8)   (Boul. Hochelaga)
  • (9) Mega   'Entrée des Ponts' Autoroute Henri IV A-73
    •   (senseless) - Dangerous for pedestrians
  • Crossroad (Rue Lavigerie)
    •   (bad) - Westwards, drivers are too busy finding their right lane before the Junction
  • End of A-540 continue eastward as 'Boulevard Laurier' (Route 175) towards Quebec city Downtown




A-740 (Quebec) Autoroute Du Vallon/Robert-Bourassa

  •   (senseless) - Do not venture as pedestrian along this highway until the fast lane stops as it is narrowed boulevard without shoulder, designed as a urban race track and often used as such by commuters!!

Begins Quebec city University District - 'Ste-Foy Borough'

  • Crossroad 'Boulevard Laurier'
    • Access to Local Bus Network
    •   (senseless) - This crossroad is busy and cars can not pull over, lights changes quickly
  • Crossroad 'Mall Place Ste-Foy'
    •   (average) - It might be possible to ask drivers at the light or leaving the mall
    • This might be exclusive to a short distance destination
  • Crossroad (Boulevard Hochelaga)
    •   (average) - It might be possible to ask drivers in the parking of the mall or waiting at the light
    • This might be exclusive to a short distance destination
  • (2)   Université Laval (Rue du Peps, Av. de la Terrasse)
    • Access to Local Bus Network
    •   (very good) - On the on-ramp from the University, before the cars are accelerating to the fast lanes
  • (3)   (Chemin des Quatre-Bourgeois/Chemin Ste-Foy)
    • Northbound Exit / Southbound Entrance
    • Access to Local Bus Network
    •   (senseless) - People will just be confused to see you there

Tunnel (  (senseless) - Do not venture on this tunnel as a foot pedestrian!)


  • (3)   (Chemin des Quatre-Bourgeois/Chemin Ste-Foy)
    • Southbound Exit / Northbound Entrance
    • Access to Local Bus Network
    •   (good) - You might catch a ride at the on-ramp crossroad with 'Chemin Ste-Foy', do not venture too far near the highway. Also you can try to catch the students leaving the nearby college during the academic season - which gives direct on the on-ramp
  • (4/4e)   (Boul. Versant-Nord, Rue Jean-Talon, Boul. Charest Est)
    •   (bad) - Southbound only local - Northbound, you better go directly to further to the 'Jean-Talon Crossroad' and try to hitch there to get to Boulevard Charest A-40 (See information in appropriate section)
  • (6)   A-440 (Autoroute Charest) (Avenue Dalton, Avenue Watt, Rue Einstein, Charest Ouest A-440)
    •   (senseless) - Dangerous corner
  • (6/4o)   (Rue Lavoisier, Parc Industriel Est, Charest Ouest A-440)
    • Access through 'Frontage road'
    •   (senseless) - Industrial Estates only
  • (7/7o)   (Boul. Wilfrid-Hamel)
  • (8)   (Boul. Père-Lelièvre)
  • (9e/9o)   Overlap A-40/A-73 (Autoroute de la Capitale)
    • Chance to the A-73 and A-573
    • Chance to go onto northern destinations
    • Chance to get on the A-40 By-pass eastwards
    •   (senseless) - Fast lane Cloverleaf Junction, possible only as last resort and not for every direction
    •   (average) - Southbound Exit towards Westbound (From the North: On 'rue Jean-Perrin' access to the A-40 Westwards)
  • Crossroad (Boulevard Lebourgneuf)

As Boulevard Robert-Bourassa - End of Fast lane -


  • Crossroad (Avenue Chauveau)
  • Crossroad (Boulevard Bastien)

End of A-740 (Wendake)



Internet Ressources