the mayor concerned about Montreal’s economic growth

Taken aback by a larger-than-expected construction site, the City of Montreal wants to make continuous adjustments to limit the consequences of repair work on the Louis-Hippolyte-La Fontaine tunnel. The mayor says she is particularly concerned about the impacts on the supply chain and on the well-being of nearby residents.

“Although we were around the table from the beginning, that we collaborate well with the MTQ, the scope of the project changed in August, explains the mayor. The bridge-tunnel is damaged more than expected, we will tell each other and that has led to the closure of more lanes, and that necessarily is major.

Among the measures taken, the City has reviewed its construction schedule. It therefore abandoned the work in connection with the axes impacting the repair of the tunnel. A watch of the road network will take place twice a day to adapt to traffic problems. The City will also synchronize traffic lights and adjust traffic directions in the boroughs.

Promote the use of public transport

To minimize the impacts of the repair work, the City is relying on the use of public transportation. To do this, the Société des Transports de Montréal (STM) has added 50 daily departures on the yellow line during rush hour.

Two additional platforms have also been installed at the Radisson terminus to accommodate all Longueuil and exo buses. A shuttle has been created there to facilitate the movement of workers in the sector.

The mayor spoke this morning with the new Minister of Transport, Geneviève Guilbeault. They talked about additional measures to be put in place by the MTQ. The mayor addressed the issue of public transport tariffs to abandon the “solo car”. The City says it is open to all proposals and does not rule out free public transport.

“Is there something more we can put in place to encourage the solo car. The key is the modal transfer, that is to say people who were in their solo car who will go to take public transport at the Longueuil or Radisson station”.

The President and CEO of the Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal (CCMM), Michel Leblanc proposed on his twitter account to ban solo cars during rush hour.

Prime Minister François Legault explained that he was not closed to the idea of ​​Mr. Leblanc. He said he was open to adding new measures and did not rule out the possibility of imposing rules on motorists.

« Everyone understands that the Hippolyte-La Fontaine tunnel is a major axis and we cannot do this work without there being impacts », he said at a press conference today. .