Sylvain Ouellet, Vice President of the Executive Committee, responsible for Water, Infrastructure and the Electricity Commission, and Magda Popeanu, Vice President of the Executive Committee, responsible for Culture, are pleased to announce a redevelopment project that will transform the intersection of Remembrance Road and Côte-des-Neiges Road.
In its current form, the intersection consists of two overpass structures built in the 1960s that have reached the end of their useful life. The City is taking the opportunity to thoroughly redesign this space, making the intersection safe for all users and maximizing the presence of green space. The western gateway to Mount Royal Park will be transformed and will be more welcoming and reflective of the 21st century.
"Whether for pedestrians, people with reduced mobility, cyclists or motorists, this intersection is currently very unwelcoming. We have a tremendous opportunity to transform it to be more responsive to today's needs. There will no longer be high concrete structures... Instead, the intersection will be T-shaped and at ground level. It will be much simpler and clearer," said Sylvain Ouellet.
The project entails the installation of traffic signals at two intersections, Côte-des-Neiges and Remembrance, and Côte-des-Neiges and Belvédère, including safe crossings with digital countdown lights, as well as improved signage and markings.
The work will begin in the spring of 2021 and will be phased in until the summer of 2024.
Enhancing the historical and natural heritage of Mount Royal
The project meets several of the Montreal administration's development objectives. In addition to offering users a safer and more user-friendly intersection, the work entails building a welcoming and striking entrance to Mount Royal and completion of the ring road - a network of paths over a more than 300 metre area that will link the various landscapes and landmarks of Mount Royal. Thanks to a major greening operation, that will include the planting of 430 trees of various species and sizes, the ecological connection between Mount Royal Park and the summit of Westmount will also be reinforced.
"Several of the city's historical and landscape features of interest are located in this sector. I am very pleased that this vast upgrade will highlight these landmarks properly, reminding us of the important role that Côte-des-Neiges Road plays in Montreal's identity while also providing access to the neighbourhoods and institutions that are located to the west of Mount Royal," added Magda Popeanu.
"Thanks to the cultural development agreement between the Government of Quebec and the City of Montreal, these interventions will allow for the enhancement of a historic intersection that is also an important gateway to Mount Royal Park. This mount Royal landmark, so central to our city's identity, and essentially at the heart of the Mount Royal heritage site, is appreciated by our many visitors. Together with the other elements of our heritage, they represent our collective wealth of which we are all very proud," stated the Minister of Culture and Communications, Nathalie Roy.
In the same spirit of ensuring better access to Mount Royal Park, the project also allows for significant place for public transportation. Bus stops positioned to promote accessibility and comfort will be installed at the new intersections.
Implementation of mitigation measures
In order to effectively manage the impact of the work on traffic, the City plans to maintain two traffic lanes in each direction on Côte-des-Neiges Road. These measures will ensure the mobility of all users in the area yet still maintain access to Mount Royal Park via Remembrance Road.
The progress of the work will be closely monitored at each stage, and a liaison officer will be designated to ensure constant communication with the community and neighbouring institutions.
The call for tenders for the first phase of the work, i.e., infrastructure and urban technical networks, roads and landscaping, was won by the firm Eurovia Québec Grands Projets Inc. for a total amount of $43.25 million. The total project budget is $52.2 million.
This project benefits from $1.6 million in financial assistance under the Agreement on Cultural Development between the Government of Quebec and the City of Montreal.
See images of the project here, here and here.
