Pedestrian streets: Avenue du Mont-Royal | A lively and unifying space

This summer, The Press makes you discover seven pedestrian streets of Montreal.

What there is to know

The commercial avenue located in the heart of the Plateau is pedestrianized until September 5, between Saint-Laurent Boulevard and Fullum Street, and this, every summer since 2020.

For the fourth consecutive year, avenue du Mont-Royal is transformed into a pedestrian street. But this time, the population welcomes the project with open arms. Passers-by, shopkeepers, cyclists… everyone seems to find what they are looking for.

Mont-Royal is much more than a car-free artery; it is also a lively space that attracts people from the neighborhood, such as visitors. Last summer, the street welcomed no less than 6 million passers-by, or around 70,000 per week!

The project is the result of a collaboration between the borough of Plateau-Mont-Royal and the company for the development of avenue du Mont-Royal (SDAMR), which is responsible in particular for developing the street. Benches and public counters, vegetation, frescoes, food gardens, free workshops: the street has been transformed into a place of socialization with a festive atmosphere.

“It was necessary as a project,” says Céline Schmitz, a passer-by who was enjoying her meal break in the sun with her colleague on the furniture installed by the SDAMR. “We come here every lunchtime now! It’s nice to enjoy the outdoors without asking questions. »

Pedestrians can finally reclaim public space that has been monopolized by cars for decades, explains Lorimier District City Councilor Marianne Giguère. “The population of the Plateau appreciates it and asks for it,” she says, pointing out that motorists no longer have as much reluctance as before.

A good deal for traders

Contrary to initial fears, the pedestrian street is a real gold mine for most businesses. Freeing up the space otherwise occupied by cars makes it possible to add a terrace or a kiosk on the street and, above all, provides an influx of cheerful customers.

The majority of merchants benefit from it, indicates the director of the SDAMR Claude Rainville, especially in the restaurant sector. He adds that new businesses have even chosen to establish themselves on Mont-Royal Avenue, in part because of pedestrianization. However, Claude Rainville admits that some shops of oversized goods – whose customers come mainly by car – do not take advantage of the pedestrian street as much.

“So far, the response has been positive,” he says. But we don’t stop there, we continue to evaluate the project every year. Because we are always looking to improve it, as much for merchants, users and people in the neighborhood. »

For example, measures have been put in place to make the street more accessible to people with reduced mobility. The Vélo Duo and Eva Coop services are offered free of charge to people in need to facilitate their travel along the thoroughfare and in the area. “It was important for us that the elderly could have access to pharmacies, groceries, banks, for example,” underlines Claude Rainville, of the SDAMR.

Mobility remains the main challenge to overcome. Bus line 97 – which serves Mont-Royal Avenue – carries a lot of people and goes to the Mont-Royal metro station, one of the only wheelchair accessible stations. “We can’t imagine having the pedestrian street any longer because of the detours for public transport”, raises Marianne Giguère of the Plateau borough.

Coexistence of pedestrians and cyclists

In addition, bicycles are now accepted on the street – provided, of course, that they do not go too fast and pay attention to pedestrians.

“We banned bicycles in 2020 during the first edition of the pedestrian street, says City Councilor Marianne Giguère. But we quickly realized that it was unrealistic. We therefore mandated INRS and Polytechnique in 2021 to assess whether it is safe to provide access to bicycles. According to this study, only 6% of cyclists lacked caution. Since then, the borough has relied on cohabitation.

The pedestrian street project on Avenue du Mont-Royal is here to stay. Claude Rainville emphasizes that the SDAMR and the borough work hard, year after year, to meet the challenges that come their way. “We are looking for the formula that can rally as many people as possible. »

Next week: Wellington Street