The new Île-aux-Tourtes bridge is the same as the old bridge, says the mayor of Ste-Anne

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Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue Mayor Paola Hawa says the Quebec Ministry of Transport is making a mistake by building a new Île-aux-Tourtes bridge without including the infrastructure for a possible REM extension to the island in the future.

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The bridge, which links West Island to Vaudreuil-Dorion along Highway 40, will be rebuilt in 2027.

Hawa said building a new stretch without a possible REM line option would be a colossal mistake considering the pressing problem of climate change and global efforts to reduce carbon emissions.

“It doesn’t make sense,” said Hawa, who also noted that the new Île-aux-Tourtes bridge is essentially a new version of the existing structure, originally built in 1965.

“They know when they build it, it’s already out of date,” he said.

There will be no lane reserved for buses or public transportation on the new bridge. And like the current span, the new bridge will have three lanes in each direction.

It will include a bicycle and pedestrian path and a wide side lane on each side.

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Buses could use the side lane in traffic congestion, but would have to rejoin Highway 40 after exiting the bridge.

When asked what he thought about the future bridge, Hawa joked, “You mean the old Île-aux-Tourtes bridge.”

“It’s 2021, not 1965,” he said. “They know when they build it, it’s already out of date.”

He fears that the future L’Anse-à-l’Orme REM station in Ste-Anne, which is the last stop in the western part of the light rail network, will become a traffic mess if the new bridge does not have a dedicated lane. to public transport.

“All buses coming to West Island will be run over in traffic,” he said.

Hawa said that not continuing the REM line off the island is a “missed opportunity.”

Hawa also questions why there is no dedicated bus lane on the future bridge, or space for a REM rail line. “That means that even if they ever thought of extending the REM westward, they can’t do it, unless they build a second parallel bridge.

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Approximately 86,000 vehicles cross the Île-aux-Tourtes bridge every day.

Hawa also wonders why West Island and off-island communities are not linked to REM like other Montreal cities and suburbs.

“We live on an island and access to the island is important to everyone. So how come Laval gets tunnels, buses, and metro stations, and the south coast gets the same? So why does West Island only have one way to get on and off the island?

She said public transportation options need to be integrated into all new transportation infrastructure, such as bridges, so that people stop using their cars.

“That is the end goal,” he said.

With only 200 parking spots scheduled for the REM station in Ste-Anne, Hawa wonders where motorists will park once the parking lot is full.

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“I have no idea where they are going. Everyone will first try to find a place in Ste-Anne’s and it will be impossible. They’ll drive for a while and they won’t be able to find parking, then they’ll say, ‘Well, I’m in my car so I might as well drive downtown.

“So you haven’t solved anything. Absolutely nothing and you spent a fortune doing it. “

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Correction: An earlier version of this story misspelled the name of the Île-aux-Tourtes bridge.