The extension of the Montreal metro’s blue line will cost nearly $7.6 billion and will enter service in 2031, the Société de transport de Montréal (STM) confirmed Friday. But starting in September, Montrealers will have to expect significant traffic disruptions along Jean-Talon Street with the start of work related to the arrival of new stations.
The STM, which is the project’s prime contractor, has just awarded a $1.1 billion contract—an amount to which taxes will be added—to the Mobilité Bleu Horizon consortium, made up of the companies Pomerleau, EBC and SPIES Batignolles, the only bidder in the running. The STM has also just obtained approval from the Council of Ministers for the final business case so that the project can move forward.
The project office had called the media on Friday morning for a technical briefing to provide an update on the project, which has suffered several delays and cost increases over the past few years. Maha Clour, director of the Blue Line Extension project office, attributed the changes in the timelines and the increase in the total budget to several factors, including the COVID-19 pandemic, which has led to a shortage of workers and a breakdown in the supply chain, as well as increasing interest rates.
“It is certain that we are never safe from other extraordinary events, another pandemic or something else, which could significantly impact the rest of things, but in a more predictable context, we are very confident,” explained Mr.me Nail.
Preparatory work will begin at the end of September and will cause traffic disruptions along the Jean-Talon Street axis, at the corner of Pie-IX, Viau and Langelier boulevards, where stations will be built. East-west traffic will be interrupted at these intersections, but the north-south axes will be open to traffic throughout the work, the STM assured.
The contract also provides for the use of a tunnel boring machine that will be delivered to the STM in spare parts in 2025 and will be in operation in 2026 for the excavation work. A tunnel with a diameter of 9.6 metres will be dug over a length of nearly 8 kilometres at a depth varying between 17 and 40 metres. The tunnel boring machine will be in operation 24 hours a day, seven days a week, but the STM will implement measures to ensure that noise and vibration standards are met.
Further details will follow.