Mount Royal safety still a concern
Group says pilot project has led to unclear traffic rules, loss of access
Inadequate communication, bad planning and a lack of public transit have resulted in an overall loss of accessibility to Mount Royal, says a group charged with promoting and protecting the mountain.
“Accessibility is reduced, communications are somewhat confused and the pilot project is having an impact on safety,” said Helene Panaioti, the director of communications, advocacy and community engagement for Les amis de la montagne.
Since June, cars can drive up Camillien-Houde Way or Remembrance Rd. and park either at Beaver Lake or Smith House.
They are not permitted to drive between the two parking lots, except when guided by security guards when one of those lots is full.
Buses, pedestrians and cyclists can travel between the two sites. The ban is part of a pilot project the city has embarked on from June to October in an effort to improve safety at the site.
Panaioti said Les amis de la montagne believes the pilot project may not have improved safety on the mountain, and has even created some new problems.
“The presumption that eliminating cars will make the place safer — I don’t think you can draw that conclusion, because it takes one bad driver or cyclist who doesn’t observe safety rules, (and) that makes it one accident too many,” Panaioti said.
“This pilot project did not provide for road safety enhancement by any other means than by removing cars.”
She said motorists disregard the signs that ban transiting traffic, even though police presence on the site has been beefed up. When the Montreal Gazette visited Mount Royal last Friday, 14 cars drove through the no-enter signs in the span of an hour, some driving by a police car with lights flashing to do so.
Having cars driving through an area where they are not expected is dangerous, Panaioti said.
She said there are more conflicts caused by Belvédère Soleil, a new wooden structure built near Smith House with hammocks and a western view to admire sunsets.
Even though there is a protected pedestrian walkway with plastic poles to get there from Smith House, the signage isn’t clear, and some cyclists have been using that path, thinking it is a protected bike lane.
The new lookout point also encourages people to walk to the traditional lookout on Camillien-Houde, which is a problem, Panaioti said.
“It’s 100 metres away, and yet it’s one of the most unsafe parts of the street for cyclists and pedestrians sharing the road with cars and buses. It’s not clear that it is essentially dangerous, so a lot of people are walking there. Buses and cars go through there, and it’s very narrow.
“The Belvédère Soleil also looks like a wonderful place to stop, so cars have been stopping on the side of the road in order to go and enjoy the view. They ’re not allowed to do that, and it causes safety issues.”
Panaioti added that her group has heard from dozens of people who were not able to access the mountain by bus, because the No. 11 bus is often full and drives by potential passengers waiting at a stop. Although the city added service to the 711 bus that also stops at the mountain, that service is still inadequate.
Cyclists are also causing problems. There are many more of them now on the mountain, and they often disregard the road safety rules, Panaioti said.
She fears that cyclists descending the mountain at high speeds could come into conflict with pedestrians or cars.
She added the rules that have been set up for the pilot project are not clear, nor are the city’s objectives, and there is not enough enforcement to ensure people are following those rules.
“When you set rules that are difficult to follow, and then there is no one there to make sure they are followed, it creates a culture of confusion,” she said.
“Especially in a situation where cohabitation is more challenging.”
She said Les amis de la montagne is in favour of coming up with a global plan for the mountain and its access routes for all modes of transportation.
“We need to be able to reflect upon where we want to take our city more globally than just, you know, cutting transit for six months,” she said. “Montrealers deserve more, and we need a higher-level process than the one a pilot project can afford us in this situation.”
The pilot project is being studied by the city’s public consultation office. Another public session is planned for Nov. 8, after the road is reopened to all traffic. Panaioti said Les amis de la montagne has been passing on its observations to the city during the project and will present its findings during the information session.
When asked for comment, executive committee spokesperson Youssef Amane said Valérie Plante’s administration has made its views about the pilot project clear and had no other comments to make. He said the project is being improved thanks to comments made by groups like Les amis de la montagne.