All, except an aerial train. It forms the position of Québec solidaire, which has promised never to build concrete structures East of Montreal, to replace the REM de l’Est project, if it is brought to power next October. .
Member of Parliament for Hochelaga-Maisonneuve, Alexandre Leduc, and the candidate for Bourget, Marie-Eve Rancourt, came out on Monday to confirm that under the united government, a light aerial train would never be placed in the districts of East. from Montreal. According to them, this mode will create a new one urban division.
The visual awfulness it will do for neighbors living in the neighborhoods is unbearable.cut mr. Leduc in an interview with The Canadian Press. Having a concrete structure 10 meters high as a neighbor is not fun.
REM de l’Est was originally supposed to connect the east of the island to the city center using an aerial route for most of its route. The promise: to get from Pointe-aux-Trembles to the city center in 25 minutes.
But due to widespread criticism, the project was removed from the hands of CDPQ Infra, the real estate arm of Caisse de depot et placement du Québec, and the Quebec government took over the rein earlier this month.
Québec solidaire fears, however, that the new project, which is still being reviewed by the government, the City of Montréal and the Autorité régionale de transport métropolitain (ARTM), is maintaining the idea of a lightweight aerial train – this that he strictly contradicts.
There is no social acceptability for this mode, Ms. explained. Rancourt. It was criticized by citizens, but also by architects and city planners. This is an urban divide that will be added to a neighborhood where there are already many of them.
New layout, but also new mode
When it regained control of the project, the government immediately announced that part of downtown, which had been strongly criticized for the architectural impact that concrete structures would have had on René-Lévesque Boulevard, had been abandoned.
But according to Québec solidaire, the route of the new project for the eastern districts remains very vague. I’d be curious to take a tour of these neighborhoods and see if people know the aerial is still on the table.directed by Mr. Leduc.
At an information session organized last week by the Collectif environnement Mercier-Est-a group of citizens opposed to the REM project in the East-theARTM said that all options are on the table regarding the new project.
Nothing fixedcited the Executive Director, Public Affairs, Marketing and Customer Experience forARTMMichel Lemay. By the end of the year, we want to come up with a mode and basic parameters of what I would call an alternative solution that can rally everyone.
CDPQ Infra initially chose an elevated train for its light rail, as this mode makes it possible to avoid intersections and other obstacles on a track shared with other vehicles. The time saved is therefore considerable compared to the time required to make the same journey by car or bus.
Of course, the underground meter also avoids these pitfalls, but it is more expensive to build.
Québec solidaire believes, however, that the savings at this time are not enough to justify the installation of concrete structures in residential neighborhoods. The party believes that while the aerial train can meet the needs of people who frequently travel from the east to the city center, it neglects those who need to travel between neighborhoods.
There are also movements within the districts. Needs must be assessed and addressed accordinglysaid Ms. Rancourt.
Québec solidaire has not decided which mode – tram, metro or otherwise – it will set the sights on once in power, but the party is convinced that an aerial train will not work.
Public consultations
A short walk through the streets of Souligny and Sherbrooke in the Mercier district allows you to see many landmarks that oppose REM de l’Est.
Now that they have won the abandonment of the initial project, citizens are asking to be consulted for its new version. This is what some of them said at the meeting organized last week withARTM.
I want us to bring the voice of a lot of people who are here tonight and don’t want an aerial routelaunched one of them to the applause of the crowd.
L ‘ARTM promised to continue the consultations, and that is also what Québec solidaire is demanding.
We need a structural link to the East, there is consensus there, but let’s build it with the professionals ofARTM and from the needs of the people to come up with the best possible projectbelieves Mr. Leduc.
Source: Radio-Canada
