The REM recently revealed their designs for the Pierrefonds-Roxboro, Laval and North Shore stations – and this week we offer you information on five stations under construction in the West End of the Montreal Island. There is still much work to do, but progression continues and the project is slowly materializing. Transport has come a long way since the first Metro stations were inaugurated in 1966. And now, the REM system is on track to change the way many people travel, where they work, live and even play, around the Greater Montreal area and beyond.
*Please note, unless otherwise indicated below, construction work in progress is from 7:00am to 7:00pm on weekdays and occasionally on weekends – continuing from December 2020 to June 2021. Work before and after the indicated times might be necessary to mobilize and demobilize elements required to carry out the work and clean up the site. Residents nearby can expect some noisy activity in the daytime and evenings, which will be kept to a minimum as much as possible.
Here is the construction and progress status of the five stations:
BOIS-FRANC
– Work inside the station includes: Electro-mechanical work (electrical, plumbing, ventilation, fire protection), ceiling and walls. Finishing of interior and exterior work.
– Work on the future station parking lot, construction of the new bus terminal, permanent kiss-and-ride lane and more – as well as the reconfiguration of road access from Marcel-Laurin and the construction of the quay-to-dock passage.
IMPACTS AND MITIGATION MEASURES – The goal is to mitigate the impact on surrounding residents and ensure everyone’s safety by taking all appropriate measures. This work may generate noise, vibration and dust – and some of the work will require truck traffic in the neighbourhood and traffic pattern changes may be setup to minimize construction traffic and secure the construction zones. *Occasional traffic pattern disruptions on Marcel-Laurin Boulevard for the reconstruction of the intersection.
DU RUISSEAU
– Construction of a permanent retaining wall.
– Construction of the station foundations.
– Formwork, reinforcing bars, and concreting and backfilling of foundations.
– Plumbing, underground electricity, etc.
– Work of waterproofing and insulation of the structure.
IMPACTS AND MITIGATION MEASURES – Closure of the parking lot at the Du Ruisseau station and part of the right lane of Henri-Bourassa Boulevard. A detour has been put in place to ensure accessibility for pedestrians and cyclists during the construction period. The work could generate noise, vibration and dust. Some of the work will require truck traffic in the neighbourhood – traffic pattern changes may be set up to minimize construction traffic and secure the construction zones.
*From January to May 2021- Construction of outer shell of the station:
– Construction of the station’s external façade.
– Roofing.
– Installation of prefabricated concrete walls.
– Installation of glass walls.
– Insulation work.
*From June 2021: Mainly inside the station, including electrical and mechanical work.
MONTPELLIER
The Montpellier station will replace the train station of the same name. Slightly elevated and on an embankment, it will be characterized by a screen of plants composed of trees and shrubs to create a buffer zone between homes and the station. The station will be located between Jules Poitras Boulevard and Muir Street, west of Côte-Vertu Boulevard and accessible from the public roads adjacent to Côte-Vertu Boulevard and the existing stairs that allow users to cross Côte-Vertu Boulevard via the overpass. There will be 60 spaces for bicycles (30 of them will be covered), universal accessibility to the station’s platforms via elevators. ‘Kiss-and-ride’ area for drop offs and pickups, as well as bus stops nearby, paratransit and taxi spaces.
COTE-DE-LIESSE
The Côte-de-Liesse station will be located in an industrial area in the borough of Saint-Laurent, north of Highway 40 (within the quadrangle formed by the Canadian National CN railway, Highway 40, Deslauriers Street and Stinson Street. (It will be accessible via Stinson and Deslauriers). The station has been specifically designed to facilitate connections to the Mascouche Exo train line – with access to the Exo platform from the station and the walkway connecting the neighbourhoods. It will be a ground level station, with landscaping around it and excavation work is already underway.
There will be 36 bicycles spaces (18 of them will be covered), an on-street bike path near the Côte-de-Liesse station (on Montpellier Boulevard and Hodge Street) with cyclist access created from Stinson Street and Deslauriers Street to the station, universal accessibility to the station’s platforms via elevators, ‘Kiss-and-ride’ area for drop offs and pickups, paratransit (to be defined) and taxi spaces with bus stops nearby.
MARIE-CURIE
Marie-Curie station will be an underground station located in the heart of the Montreal Technoparc (at the intersection of Albert-Einstein Street and Alfred-Nobel Boulevard). The design and route of the REM were specifically adapted to protect the wetlands in this area. The route will go underground just before Alexander-Fleming Street – having been adjusted following environmental consultations to preserve the wetlands between the airport and the Technoparc. A ground-level entrance will lead to escalators and elevators (similar to the Montréal metro) providing access to the underground platforms. Outside the building, there are plans to build a welcoming park around the station – as a sign of continuity with the surrounding greenery.
Construction started last spring and there will be 20 bicycles spaces (10 of them will be covered) with several on-street bike paths near the station, including on Alfred-Nobel Boulevard and Albert-Einstein Street, Alexander-Fleming and Frederick-Banting Streets, universal accessibility to the station’s platforms via elevators, ‘Kiss-and-ride’ area for drop offs and pickups, paratransit and taxi spaces with bus stops nearby.
*Check back with the Montreal Times for REM updates and news!
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