The chaotic management of roadworks and the epidemic of orange cones in downtown Montreal are not inevitable. Based on a study that identifies the aberrations linked to the multiple obstacles to traffic and the poor coordination of construction sites, the Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal (CCMM) makes a series of recommendations to make the necessary infrastructure work less painful . Among these, the imposition of higher tariffs for the occupation of the public domain by construction companies and the establishment of an effective coordination unit for public and private worksites.
Between 2014 and 2022, rue Saint-Urbain was the subject of work every year on one or other of the sections located between rue Jean-Talon and rue Notre-Dame. And by examining the public domain occupancy permits granted by the Ville-Marie borough, the CCMM notes that over a period of one year, 94% of the arteries in the city center were blocked, partially or totally, at one time or another.
Shared responsibility
In collaboration with the firm IdéesFX, the CCMM examined the obstacles and construction sites that make access to the city center difficult. The study titled Minimum blockage — For innovative management of public and private construction sites to make the city center more attractive and accessible debunks certain myths, including the one that the City of Montreal carries out all the work in the metropolis. However, the City only controls 30% of the construction sites in its territory.
“There is a perception that the issue is that there are too many cars. Yes, there are a lot of cars, but that said, we can still do something,” explains Michel Leblanc, president and CEO of the CCMM. “The other perception is that it’s the fault of the City. But there are actions that must also be taken by public utility companies and private promoters. It is a general culture that must be changed to reduce blockages and obstacles in the streets. »
On the other hand, construction sites suffer from poor coordination. For example, between 2014 and 2022, rue De Bleury was the subject of continuous work due to public and private construction sites and none of them resulted from an emergency situation. In May 2022, in her annual report, the Auditor General of the City, Michèle Galipeau, had also noted numerous shortcomings in the planning of the work within the municipal apparatus itself.
And as if that were not enough, the City tends to favor the phasing of construction sites, which contributes to the impression of endless work, underlines the CCMM. Michel Leblanc points out, however, that this situation is attributable to the “excessive fragmentation” of the construction industry specializing in roads, which is made up of small companies that cannot carry out large contracts.
Use of the public domain
The study focuses on the occupation of the public domain by private construction sites to store materials or provide parking spaces for personnel, which causes significant hindrances for motorists and pedestrians alike.
According to the CCMM, occupancy permits are too easy for entrepreneurs to obtain and they are less expensive for them than renting a private space. Thus, 96.4% of requests for occupation of the public domain were accepted by the Ville-Marie borough in 2021-2022.
The borough also derives significant revenue from it, namely 23.8 million over one year, or 27% of its annual budget last year. The study cites the example of the Humaniti project which occupied the public domain for four long years.
But there are many other factors that impede traffic, such as the delivery of materials by contractors who have no restrictions even during rush hour.
Even the excessive use of orange cones is singled out. These should only be used for short-term work or on motorways, believes the CCMM, which suggests reviewing all signage. More than a quarter of the signage elements, whether orange cones and panels, are useless or abandoned, it is specified.
The CCMM offers several solutions. According to her, construction sites should all be provided with a QR code which would force construction companies to justify the obstacles in the public domain and inform citizens about the progress of the work.
To discipline construction companies regarding the occupation of the public domain, the CCMM recommends establishing a dynamic pricing policy so that contractors reluctant to reduce obstacles pay a higher bill. And to better coordinate private and public construction sites, a platform that would centralize all data related to work to come or in progress could be set up by the City of Montreal, says the Chamber.
The CCMM also questions the rule of the lowest bidder, which does not promote efficiency, and believes that Quebec should make legislative changes to remedy it. Quebec should therefore see to it. In this regard, the Board of Trade deplores the lack of innovation in the field of construction and the lack of productivity. Moreover, it is pointed out, the quality of the work sometimes leaves something to be desired.