CROSSING MOUNT ROYAL

It seems it might be easier to move mountains than to move Luc Ferrandez away from his plan to prevent cars from crossing Mount Royal from one side to the other. His announcement earlier this month elicited a groundswell of outraged opposition, which continues. But based on his reported comments in recent days, it seems clear that the mind of the executive committee member responsible for large parks is made up.

In a flood of letters to the editor and elsewhere, citizens have raised any number of objections to the plan to have eastbound cars stop at Beaver Lake and westbound cars stop at Smith House, creating two cul de sacs.

The plan, it has been pointed out, effectively will erect a barrier between the eastern and western halves of the city. It will be harder for western Montrealers to show off the lookout to visitors, and for families from the east to reach Beaver Lake.

Forcing cars to take the longer route around the mountain will just create more traffic tieups and increase greenhouse-gas emissions.

The new arrangement, which is presented as intended to increase safety on the mountain, appears to be an over-reaction to the tragic death of a young cyclist on Camillien-Houde Way who was hit by a vehicle making an illegal U-turn. But to anyone familiar with Ferrandez’s record as mayor of Plateau Mont-Royal borough — in which street-direction changes and other measures were enacted to make the area a hostile one for drivers and discourage through traffic — the plan for the mountain seems of a piece.

Certainly, it is hard to see how this would be the best way to increase safety. Many people have suggested that if illegal U-turns are a problem, they could be prevented by installing a concrete median — perhaps using barriers no longer needed for the Formula E race. As well, the city already has an arsenal of “traffic calming” measures that could be applied — though please, no more speed bumps — to slow vehicular traffic.

There were indications this past week that there might be some form of belated public consultation, or at least, Montrealers would be presented with an impact study before the plan is implemented.

Certainly, the lack of public consultation prior to the announcement — or even consultation of key stakeholders like Les Amis de la montagne — was deeply disappointing coming from a party that had promised to do better.

During the election campaign, Projet Montréal took umbrage at suggestions by then-mayor Denis Coderre that Projet would “Plateauize” Montreal.

Suddenly, that seems less far-fetched.