Borough asks for citizen input on proposed measures
After months of study and planning by local officials, the Villeray—Saint-Michel—Parc-Extension borough released its traffic calming plan for the district of Park Extension on Monday.
In the plan, the borough lists several new measures that aim to calm vehicle traffic in the neighbourhood, including the installation of bollards, the changing of speed limits in certain areas and the construction of speed bumps on residential streets.
“These measures are intended to increase safety, but also the tranquillity of the neighbourhood,” said borough Mayor Laurence Lavigne Lalonde in a statement.
The borough also launched a citizen consultation campaign to get the viewpoint of residents. From Mar. 28 to April 18, citizens can voice their impressions and comments before the plan is put into motion in June.
Safety as the primary concern
Studied throughout 2021, the long-awaited plan to calm traffic in Park Extension has four main goals. It aims to enhance the quality of life in the neighbourhood by making streets quieter and calmer.
It also aims to improve pedestrian and cyclist safety while reducing traffic flow on smaller residential streets.
Many residents have voiced their concern about excessive traffic going through the neighbourhood, especially during rush hour, causing safety worries for many people.
To reduce those concerns, the plan also aims to reduce vehicle speeding in the area, by narrowing streets and reducing speed limits in certain areas.
Changes to daily life
“Throughout 2021, our teams have studied the Park Extension area to understand the needs and issues related to mobility,” wrote the borough in a statement.
“The measures we are proposing will change the way you move around in your daily life,” they added. The borough listed the proposed changes in a document made public on Monday.
Some major proposals include the changing of directions of certain streets, like Bloomfield and Birnam, the construction of curb extensions throughout the district and the installation of speed bumps on Saint-Roch.
“The currently proposed measures stem from this analysis as well as from a community consultation that included neighbourhood schools, the Montreal Fire Department, the Montreal Police Department and local organizations,”
Street narrowing
A section of Querbes between Beaumont and Ogilvy would also be narrowed over the summer months, using removable bollards to reduce traffic speed to 30 km/h.
Many residents in the area have complained that motorists rarely respect the speed limit making the street unsafe for children and pedestrians.
The speed limit on Jarry West will also be reduced to 40km/h and include the implementation of a school zone between Stuart and Bloomfield with a speed limit of 30km/h.
An exhaustive list of the changes is included in a map published by the borough.
Borough-wide initiative
“The measures currently proposed stem from this analysis as well as from a community consultation that included neighbourhood schools, the Montreal Fire Department, the Montreal Police Department and local organizations,” wrote the borough.
The plan is part of a larger, borough-wide initiative to address traffic-related issues in residential neighbourhoods, to ensure they are more enjoyable to live in and safer for pedestrians and cyclists.
“Based on an analysis carried out by our teams, these changes will reduce speed and traffic on local streets, in addition to securing the surroundings of certain schools,” continued Mayor Lavigne Lalonde.
The plan was broken down into 14 separate areas of analysis, with the Park Extension neighbourhood being the first to see findings published.
Public consultation
The borough has also launched a citizen consultation process to get feedback from the residents who will be affected the most. Citizens are encouraged to suggest changes or highlight whether or not they address the issues that are important in their daily lives.
“Since this approach is intended to be concerted and rooted in the reality of the population, we are going even further by submitting the proposal to those most concerned, allowing us to improve it further,” said Mayor Lavigne Lalonde.
People can send in their comments via Montreal’s online platform Making Montreal, by leaving written comments at one of the two drop boxes at borough hall and the library or by calling (514) 292-9550.
The measures will be gradually implemented in Park Extension in 2022. Traffic studies and consultations are soon planned for the other districts in the borough.
