Borough Council set up an emergency procedure to prevent another congestion similar to the one that started in the circle.
A different intervention will prevent another “Halloween congestion”
The Borough did not waste time reacting to the “Halloween congestion” mentioned in a separate article. On Friday, November 2, a special meeting was called to analyse the causes of the problem and to establish a different procedure to deal with a traffic jam.
The enormous traffic jam that occurred late in the day on October 31 could have been avoided if all parties concerned were aware of the unique location of L'Île-des-Sœurs on the road network. There is currently only one access road to enter the island, and it goes through the circle located near the Sax complex. When this access is blocked, an emergency procedure must be applied to avoid the congestion from getting worse.
At the request of Mayor Claude Trudel, all parties involved attended a meeting on November 2. In addition to those who are normally involved in emergency services (firemen, police officers, ambulance personnel), representatives of the Surete du Quebec and the Société de transport de Montréal (STM) also attended. It was the slow reaction of the STM that caused this congestion. Mr. Trudel, who is also chairman of the STM, immediately took measures to ensure that appropriate procedures are undertaken for L'Île-des-Sœurs. All those involved were made aware of the fragile nature of the road network in this area so if an incident occurs at a strategic intersection in the future, an exceptional procedure will be carried out.
It is known that a tow truck from the south shore could have taken only 15 minutes to arrive at the island’s entry point if it had been required. Instead, it took almost four hours for a tow truck from the STM to get to the vicinity. It had left LaSalle and was stuck in the traffic jam from Highway 20 east and then in Highway 15 south. An assurance was given that everyone concerned will receive the message regarding this special procedure.
Nothing to do with October 30 incident
It is crucial to remember, however, that the "Halloween congestion” was not related to the previous day’s morning congestion. In this other traffic jam, it was a first incident on Highway 15 north that caused the congestion that later transformed into a second traffic jam that stretched until the island’s exit. It then crisscrossed with vehicles entering the island. As SQ officers described it, “the snake had bit its own tail.”
It should also be noted that the traffic video on the northern tip of the island on October 30 clearly showed that the ongoing work in this sector had nothing to do with this congestion.
Météo: Montréal, 20 juillet 2008 / 22°C
/ Couvert
/ Vents: 9 Km/h / Humidité relative: 73 % 
par Pierre Vigneault 
Steven Guilbeault - Chronique environnement
Richard Cléroux - Le fouineur politique
