Temporary public transit network - Fall 2021: new mitigation measures for the REM

MONTRÉAL, Aug. 16, 2021 /CNW Telbec/ - Chantal Rouleau, Minister for Transport and Minister Responsible for the Metropolis and the Montréal Region, Benoît Gendron, Chief Executive Officer at the Autorité régionale de transport métropolitain (ARTM), and Harout Chitilian, Vice-President, Corporate Affairs, Development and Strategy at CDPQ Infra, presented the most recent mitigation measures for the work on the Réseau express métropolitain (REM) for the areas of Laval, Montréal and the North Shore. These added and enhanced services will be in effect as of August 23, 2021, for users from Deux-Montagnes, Saint-Eustache, Laval and Montréal as well as line exo5 Mascouche users.

Since the implementation of the temporary public transit network on May 11, 2020, the ministère des Transports, the ARTM, public transit agencies, CDPQ Infra as well as municipalities and boroughs have worked together to enhance services offered in each area affected by REM construction work. As part of the project, Mobility Montréal partners propose scalable solutions that meet the needs of users in each affected area.

The additions and improvements to the temporary network include:

• Line 713 Express Côte-Vertu from Sainte-Dorothée station
• A park-and-ride lot on avenue des Bois, for exo shuttle 498 and Société de transport de Laval (STL) line 713
• The installation of temporary structures, including bus terminals and parking spaces at Sainte-Dorothée and Deux-Montagnes stations
• Enhanced service for line 730 from Sainte-Dorothée station to Sunnybrooke and Roxboro-Pierrefonds stations
• Shared taxibus T28 connecting the north and south parking lots of Sainte-Dorothée station
• Preferential measures for buses on avenue des Bois, autoroute 440 and boulevard Chomedey
• fare reductions of up to 30% that apply until spring 2022 for Mascouche line users

Quotes

[Translation] "Great efforts were made over the last years to continue to serve public transit users from Montréal, Laval, Laurentides and Lanaudière during the REM construction work. I mandated Mobility Montréal partners to work with a very precise objective: implement efficient solutions that can compete with solo car use, as well as offer improved route options for public transit users. I will keep this commitment until the complete commissioning of the REM. After the work is completed, a new public transit service provided over more than 71 kilometres, and which will run between the south and north shores via West Island and downtown Montréal, will be available to the greater Montréal population."

Chantal Rouleau, Minister for Transport and Minister Responsible for the Metropolis and the Montréal Region

[Translation] "The ARTM and all public transit agencies are continually working to mitigate the impacts of this major project on users and offer them other solutions to travel efficiently using public transit during this transition period. By implementing new measures for September, we enhance the service offer and provide different options to make travel easier for users."

Benoît Gendron, Chief Executive Officer, Autorité régionale de transport métropolitain

[Translation] "The commissioning of the REM on the North Shore will transform user mobility with a significant increase in services, reduced travel times and additional lines, including two stations in downtown Montréal and a connection with the airport. Since the beginning of the work, we have worked closely with our public transit partners to offer users many temporary transportation solutions. We made every effort to ensure the commissioning of the REM as soon as possible. Since the complete closure of the Deux-Montagnes line, our teams have been working on a dozen construction sites on the North Shore. The work continues apace, and new REM structures are already visible."

Harout Chitilian, Vice-President, Corporate Affairs, Development and Strategy, CDPQ Infra

Related links and documents

Mobility Montréal: quebec.ca/mobilitemontreal 

Ministère des Transports: transports.gouv.qc.ca

Autorité régionale de transport métropolitain: artm.quebec

Réseau express métropolitain: rem.info

SOURCE Cabinet du ministre des Transports