The head of Projet Montréal, Valérie Plante, wishes to facilitate access to the river for residents of the South-West by taking advantage of the planned redevelopment of the Bonaventure Expressway into an urban boulevard to create, by 2027, a waterfront promenade that will notably include green bicycle and pedestrian links.
The development of such a promenade is already in the plans of the Société des Ponts Jacques Cartier et Champlain Incorporée as part of the redevelopment of the Bonaventure Expressway, for which the federal government intends to invest approximately $ 30 million.
However, Ms. Plante announced at a press conference in a Pointe-Saint-Charles distillery that the City will invest $ 10 million to create this waterfront park of approximately 2 km. This would be developed after the conversion of the Bonaventure Expressway, at the end of its life, into an urban boulevard equipped with pedestrian crossings and traffic lights, like boulevard Robert-Bourassa, downtown.
“It is under our leadership and because we worked with the Société des Bridges that we have come up with a project that is truly structuring,” said Ms. Plante. The latter also wishes to be inspired by the Samuel-De Champlain promenade, in Quebec, to carry out this walk. “But of course, it will be in Montreal sauce,” she said, smiling.
Not before 2027
According to Projet Montréal, which must however consult the population before proceeding with this project, this waterfront promenade should include, among other things, a bicycle path, a footpath and street furniture. Lookouts would also be set up to provide access to panoramic views of the St. Lawrence River, while the City intends to create new road accesses to this future waterfront promenade. “Montrealers want to seize every opportunity to get closer to the river,” said Plante.
“Obviously, what we are presenting to you today is part of an immense development potential in the sector,” she added. The revitalization of the Bridge-Bonaventure sector was the subject of an impressive report by the Office de consultation publique de Montréal last year.
Thus, this new development, as well as the end of the Bonaventure Expressway in its current form, should help to beautify a former industrial sector in the South-West which “does not look like much” at present, hopes the mayor of South-West. , Benoit Dorais.
Montrealers will however have to wait a few years before benefiting from this walk, qualified the elected from Projet Montreal. This will in fact only be able to be developed after the redevelopment of the Bonaventure Expressway, which should take place from 2023 to 2026. During this period, the City intends to carry out the plans and specifications for its promenade project. hope to quickly start the development of it by 2027, said the mayor of the Southwest.
As for the name of this future riverside promenade, it remains to be determined. “We can imagine that this will be a great opportunity to give a name that is truly home-grown. We could honor a man or a woman who has been involved in the development of the city of Montreal, ”said Ms. Plante.