Minister Boulet reaffirms support for light train

With the transfer of Bell Canada’s head office to L’Île-des-Sœurs, it is understandable why Verdun would have an interest in rehabilitating and modernising Champlain Bridge. Given that the situation is deteriorating every year, Minister Boulet believes that action must be taken, reminding the attendees that “the possibility of building a new bridge instead of restoring the present one for cost purposes was raised.” The lifespan of Champlain Bridge has been considerably reduced owing to a 104% increase in traffic for the last 20 years. Reports are that the Champlain Bridge has the heaviest traffic in all of Canada.

In this area, the bridge accommodates 66% of river-to-river transportation between the south shore and Montreal in the mornings, taking away traffic volume from other bridges. When there are 130,000 vehicles and 45,000 commuters (using reserved lanes) going back and forth on Champlain Bridge daily, one sees that traffic is indeed substantial. The advanced wear and tear of the Bridge is partly due to increased heavy traffic. In fact, the flow of truck traffic was two million in 1993 and this number went up to five million in 2004.

The Transport Minister also said that there were plans for the installation of a light train for the re-structuring work on the Taschereau exchange and a segment of highway 10 until the Chevrier parking lot. Based on encouraging studies conducted by the AMT, she insisted on saying that she “hopes that the SLR project can be achieved.” The Transport Minister did not conceal her government’s preoccupation with the city’s durable development by way of reducing vehicle traffic which can be achieved by encouraging people to use the light train. The ball is in the federal government’s court and it should contribute part of the restructuring expenses on its own infrastructure (bridge and trestle).

For Fatima Houda-Pepin, MNA for La Pinière and first vice president of the National Assembly, the light train project – or SLR – is a priority. “South shore residents have the right to expect the federal government to take a position in this”, she said.

For L’Île-des-Sœurs, if the SLR can make a stop at the northern point, this would enable workers to go downtown without driving their vehicles; not to mention Bell Canada employees who won’t have to put up with the traffic on their way to work.