Great South West | A metro extension or tram on the table

The extension of the metro and the construction of a tramway to the city center are among the scenarios considered to provide public transportation in the southwest of Montreal.

Less ambitious options, such as an 8-kilometer rapid bus service (SRB) between the Angrignon metro and the 32^e Avenue in Lachine, are also on the table.

These scenarios were made public on Monday by the Regional Metropolitan Transport Authority (ARTM), which is beginning these days its consultations for the “Grand Sud-Ouest” project, a transposition of the western end of the famous “line rose” promised by Valérie Plante in 2017.

“The ARTM and its partners are studying six scenarios of structuring routes and modes of transport to meet the needs of the population,” said Patrick Charpentier, who is leading the project within the organization. The ARTM says it wants “the right mode in the right place”.

Five of the six scenarios correspond to a new tram or SRB line. The other scenario recommends an extension of the green metro line to the west of Angrignon station.

In all cases, these lines would serve a “common section”, located between the Angrignon metro and the 32^e Avenue in Lachine, notably passing through a railway right-of-way which runs along Victoria Street. This artery, as well as Newman Boulevard and Dollard Avenue, is wide enough to accommodate a new transportation line, according to the ARTM. The common core “makes it possible to serve numerous travel-generating centers such as Galeries Lachine, Place Newman, Carrefour Angrignon, as well as several secondary schools and health establishments”.

Two of the scenarios push further towards the city center through the boroughs of Verdun and Sud-Ouest: one to the Lionel-Groux metro station, the other to the Square-Victoria metro station via rue Saint-Jacques.

Three of the scenarios extend west to reach Dorval station, 600 meters from the Montreal-Trudeau terminal.

All routes pass through “development and redevelopment” zones, suggesting that neighborhoods will become denser around structuring transport and “thus suggesting an increase in future demand,” indicated Patrick Charpentier.

A month of consultations

However, the precise routes should be taken with a grain of salt.

“These are “non-optimized” scenarios. We go out to meet the population, among other things, to hear the comments and observations that people might have. We are going to improve the scenarios in light of the observations that people have,” said Mr. Charpentier in a telephone interview. “People can comment on all the proposals in their entirety. »

The population of these sectors of Montreal is asked to vote on their favorite scenario via a virtual platform. Public information meetings are also planned in Verdun, LaSalle, Dorval and Lachine this week and next week.

The consultation period is due to end in a month.

This consultation was to be held last fall, but was suspended at the request of Quebec.

“Reassured”, Plante does not express a preference

On Monday, the Plante administration did not want to express its preference for one or other of the options on the table.

“We are reassured that public consultations surrounding the pink line are resuming today,” said Simon Charron, press secretary in the office of the mayor of Montreal. The pink line, the Eastern structuring project and the blue line are projects that must continue to be developed as a priority. »

“With the development of the Lachine-Est district and the economic hub of the sector, we have a historic opportunity for economic development and it starts with a mode of transportation,” he added. The population is invited to participate in large numbers. »