This photograph shows the construction in 1971 of the De la Capitale Highway, now called the Félix-Leclerc Highway. At this time, many villages around Québec City were gobbed into urban suburbs connected by expressways. This highway crosses Québec City from east to west, shuttling cars from Beauport to Saint-Augustin.

1971 - 1974

Make way for asphalt!

Automobiles became the main means of transport in North American cities during the 1960s and 1970s. Québec City was no exception. In 1964, Highway 20 connected Québec City to Montréal and the rest of the country. In the 1970s, highways were built all around Québec City, converging at the city centre. Entire neighbourhoods were razed to make way for a web of asphalt that stretched across the city. Québec City lost some of its historic charm during this period. Do you have any memories to share?

The De la Capitale Highway under construction in the early 1970s

Auteur inconnu This photograph shows the construction in 1971 of the De la Capitale Highway, now called the Félix-Leclerc Highway. At this time, many villages around Québec City were gobbed into urban suburbs connected by expressways. This highway crosses Québec City from east to west, shuttling cars from Beauport to Saint-Augustin.

Chronoscope Do you have any memories of this change in the Québec City landscape? (unilingual French for a limited time)

Depicted period: 1971

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