Montreal to rebuild underpass, install bike path, sidewalk in La-Petite-Patrie for $23.5 M
95 collisions took place at Christophe-Colomb Ave. and Des Carrières Street in past 4 years, city says
The city of Montreal is set to renovate an underpass with the aim of making the La-Petite-Patrie neighbourhood safer for cyclists and pedestrians.
The $23.5 million project would see improvements to the street's bike path as part of the city's Vision Vélo 2023-2027 plan, which includes about 40 projects for new secured bike paths across Montreal.
Montreal plans to install a bike path along the eastern side of Christophe-Colomb Avenue, build another sidewalk as well as narrow the car lanes on Des Carrières Street.
Construction will start at the intersection next month.
Jean-François Rheault, president of Vélo Québec, which has participated in consultations with the city, says the development has been a long time coming.
There have been 95 collisions involving cyclists and pedestrians along Christophe-Colomb Street between 2018 and 2022, according to the city.
"Christophe-Colomb has been a road where residents have been complaining about high speed for a very long time," Rheault said. "It is a bicycle project but it is also a safety project for all road users."
François Limoges, borough mayor of Rosemont—La-Petite-Patrie, says the underpass from 1953 is a remnant of the past when "pedestrians and cyclists were not taken into account when we were building infrastructure."
"They are the most vulnerable persons on the road, and we have to protect them," Limoges said. "Now, we're rebuilding it with one concern: security."
An online public consultation on renovating the Christophe-Colomb bike path is open until Feb. 22.
Based on reporting by Rowan Kennedy