St. Laurent roadwork bolstered with cash influx

It's a decision that has taken the slow road to approval over a number of years. The Cavendish extension has figured in the city's plan since it was first tabled as part of the Montreal Urban Community's traffic plan in 1987. It was then integrated into the former municipality of St. Laurent in 1990. Wednesday, the project finally saw the light of day when Montreal's executive committee gave it the green light.

Resident concerns regarding the arterial-road structure remain, but mostly regarding the renovation of Marcel-Laurin Boulevard. In less than a month after the roadwork was announced as a priority by the city of Montreal – whose transit plan was panned by critics for having too high a price tag – the first projects have been signed off on by administrators. Of course, the car remains king, and public-transit concerns have yet to be addressed.

Montreal public-transit head and urban-planning chief Andre Lavallée said the work being carried out will extend Cavendish north to Henri-Bourassa and will re-orient the intersection of Marcel-Laurin Boulevard and St. Exupery. The $12.7-million tab for the work will be picked up jointly by Montreal's agglomeration council, which oversees arterial roads, and municipal council's roadwork budget.

"Seeing as how the urban plan and our new transport plan calls for the extension of Cavendish north and it's an arterial road covered by agglomeration. That's the adequate solution for facilitating circulation and completing the third north-south artery in the borough after O'Brien, St. Croix and Marcel-Laurin boulevards," said Mr Lavallée.

Borough mayor Alan DeSousa said the project will improve St. Laurent residents' quality of life.

"This roadwork is necessary to open up our territory in the northern sector between Marcel-Laurin and Thimens (boulevards) he said. That area has seen quite a bit of industrial and residential development over the past few years and it's currently only accessible from the southbound direction, via Thimens," he said, adding the work will ensure residents' safety as well. The extension will also improve accessibility to the (rapidly expanding) Bois Franc area and to new St. Laurent from the elementary school being renovated by the Commission scolaire Marguerite-Bourgeoys north of Henri-Bourassa.

It remains to be seen whether or not bicycle paths receive the same sort of treatment from city and borough administrators.

(Translated by Marc Lalonde)