Mobilizing for mobility: The Mayors of the Agglomération de Longueuil unite around Vision 2025 for Public Transit

LONGUEUIL, QC, Aug. 20, 2018 /CNW Telbec/ - To improve quality of life for the residents of the Agglomération de Longueuil and to alleviate road congestion, which is increasing at a phenomenal pace, the municipalities in the agglomeration have united around an integrated vision of public transit. The outcome of this invaluable collaboration is Vision 2025 for Public Transit, which will enable Québec's third-largest transit organization to offer citizens in the Agglomération de Longueuil high-performance, efficient service geared to sustainable mobility.

"The car fleet in the agglomeration is growing three times as fast as the population, so elected municipal officials had to mobilize and develop a concerted plan that reflects citizens' needs and, above all, will contribute significantly to urban development," stated Pierre Brodeur, Chairman of the Réseau de transport de Longueuil (RTL) and Mayor of Saint-Lambert. The Vision is in line with the land-use planning and development plan of the Agglomération de Longueuil and the strategic orientations of the Québec government's new Sustainable Mobility Policy, so as to maximize investments in public transit and contribute to the success of the Réseau électrique métropolitain (REM).

Putting citizens at the heart of the vision
The consensus reached by the Mayors of the agglomeration is based on the idea of offering services adapted to the reality of its citizens and businesses, and thereby improving their quality of life. To increase the modal share of public transit, the Mayors are proposing a flexible new network to reduce travel time and to serve new areas.

Four structuring projects:

• MAKING THE REM A SUCCESS: Provide access to the new stations by creating multimodal reserved lanes and offering frequent, regular public transit service to the stations throughout the day.
• EXTENDING THE YELLOW LINE: Facilitate travel to the eastern part of the agglomeration, enabling users to save time, thanks to a project awaited for more than 50 years.
• TRAM LINE ON TASCHEREAU: Connect the northern and southern parts of the agglomeration with a high-frequency tram line that will integrate perfectly into the REM and the Metro and help revitalize Taschereau Boulevard.
• RÉSEAU RAPIDE D'AGGLOMÉRATION AND EXPRESS LANES: Improve the transit flow within the agglomeration and connectivity with the Couronne-Sud with multimodal reserved lanes, intelligent traffic lights and incentive parking lots.

The public transit vision at a glance:

• COHERENT: Planning of structuring projects and interlinking of the public transit networks by offering riders more options and increasing accessibility and rapidity.
• SIMPLIFIED: New real-time planning and information tools to facilitate travel: demand-responsive transport in some areas (such as taxis on demand), real-time information on service, on-board voice announcements, simplified fare schedules, status of incentive parking lots, etc. Make the new infrastructure universally accessible to people with reduced mobility.
• SUSTAINABLE: A fleet of completely hybrid and electric vehicles (including Wi-Fi and USB ports), small vehicles for some areas, real-time schedule boards and solar lighting, reserved lanes to ensure traffic flow, etc.

"I'm sending a message today to everyone who aspires to govern Québec: the Agglomération de Longueuil expects you to make a commitment to carry out the public transit projects expected by the population and to take a position in favour of our agglomeration's Vision 2025 in order to improve our citizens' quality of life," stated Sylvie Parent, Mayor of Longueuil.

For more details on Vision 2025, visit www.vision2025tc.com

About the RTL
The Réseau de transport de Longueuil (RTL) is the main transit provider for individuals in the five cities that comprise the Agglomération de Longueuil. As the third-largest public transit organization in Québec, the RTL operates a 793-kilometre network. With 1,100 employees, the RTL is a major employer that contributes to the economic vitality of the region.

Ever receptive to its users, the RTL plays a key role in the lives of the people and the communities it serves by providing solutions that are efficient, innovative and adapted to the evolving needs of its clientele. Improving quality of life for the citizens of the Agglomération de Longueuil is a top priority for the RTL.

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SOURCE Réseau de Transport de Longueuil