Structuring public transit in the Greater Southwest: LaSalle Submits its Position Paper

LASALLE, QC, March 5, 2024 /CNW/ - At the Borough Council meeting held on Monday, March 4, 2024, the elected officials adopted the position paper submitted to the Autorité régionale de transport métropolitain (ARTM) as part of its public consultation?which took place January 16 ? February 11, 2024?on various proposals for Montréal's greater southwest area.

"The Council members were delighted to note that the six routes being studied by the ARTM all pass through LaSalle. These routes, which all serve our borough, are the result of a number of years of efforts to convince the responsible authorities of the need for structuring public transit on our territory. The ARTM's proposals are therefore a victory in themselves," pointed out LaSalle Borough Mayor Nancy Blanchet.

Mobility issues?and public transit, in particular?have a considerable impact on the Borough's 90,000 residents, 26,000 workers and development potential. LaSalle residents have shown resilience, despite the fact that there has been no significant improvement in public transit services in their area for almost 50 years, but they are running out of patience. It's a matter of correcting a historic lack of interest in LaSalle on the part of the organizations responsible for public transit.

"We believe that the actions proposed by the ARTM?including the implementation of a heavy and structuring means of transportation serving the heart of LaSalle?will offer those who live or work here a public transit network that meets their expectations, in all equity with the other sectors of the island. The completion of this project should also play a major role in the development of LaSalle, which has seen some of the strongest growth of the 19 boroughs in recent years," added Borough Mayor Nancy Blanchet.

The metro extension option being considered by the ARTM, from among the six routes and three means of public transit under study, would undoubtedly meet the expectations of the borough of LaSalle and its residents, as expressed many times over the past 45 years. Nevertheless, LaSalle is aware of the advantages of welcoming what would potentially be the first tramway line on the island of Montreal, given the many benefits of this means of transportation, which has proven its worth in many cities around the world.

In summary:

1. The preferred routes for the borough of LaSalle are those serving the western part of LaSalle: Route B with its double tramway line, which also serves the southern part of the Borough, and Route F with its extension of the green metro line.
2. The preferred option for the Borough is the metro, which LaSalle residents have been demanding for 45 years, while recognizing the merits of the new-generation, exclusive right-of-way tramways.

Notwithstanding the final route and means of transportation that will ultimately be chosen, LaSalle is strongly calling for the earliest possible completion of this public transit project, which will considerably improve the riders' experience, contribute to the achievement of a number of ecological transition objectives, and play a structuring role in the economic and social development of the greater southwest area as a whole.

In 2021, the ARTM received a mandate from the Québec government to look into a structuring electric public transit system to serve the greater southwest area and link it to downtown Montréal. With a budget of $20 million, this study program is intended to specify and estimate the mobility needs of the area in question, determine optimal routes and a structuring means of transportation as well as an estimate of the costs involved in carrying out the project.

SOURCE Arrondissement de LaSalle (Ville de Montréal)