The barge service was operated between the island and Verdun until the Champlain Bridge was opened in 1962.

During the winter, as of the end of December and the first few weeks of January, the ice on the St. Lawrence River was often thick enough that people could cross to the island by an ice bridge that was marked by small pine or spruce trees. During the first decades of the 20th century, trucks carrying merchandise often used the ice bridge. Construction materials were transported during this period of the year.