N.D.G intersection sparks frustration
Q. I would like to know why the lights at Elmhurst Ave. and Sherbrooke St. are so short for people turning onto Sherbrooke. It only lasts about 15 seconds. Just time enough for three or four cars to turn.
Rick Simpson A. This Notre-Dame-de-Grâce intersection is complicated for several reasons.
The city says it’s working on it but, in the short-term, the changes will only help pedestrians and will probably slow things down further for drivers.
Traffic often backs up on Elmhurst in both directions because of a Canadian Pacific/AMT level crossings.
Elmhurst also ends at Sherbrooke, so once northbound drivers reach Sherbrooke, they must turn either left or right. Meanwhile, drivers heading south are rushing to reach Elmhurst from the nearest southbound street — Patricia Ave.
They have to make two turns to reach Elmhurst, reducing turning time for northbound cars. Cars trying to make the manoeuvre sometimes end up stuck in the middle of the intersection, blocking cars going in the opposite direction.
Many pedestrians are also in the mix, because of the AMT’s Montreal West commuter train station, nearby high schools and Concordia University’s Loyola Campus. These walkers also have limited time to cross and must contend with frustrated drivers coming in all directions, some of them running red lights.
City spokesperson Valérie De Gagné said officials know about the problem and are working on an overall plan.
She said extending lights for cars could make things worse. For now, “we’re asking drivers to be disciplined and avoid blocking the intersection and making things worse for others,” De Gagné said.
As for pedestrians, the city plans to change the lights at Sherbrooke/Elmhurst to give people on foot an exclusive phase later this year. Audible traffic signals will also be added to help visually impaired pedestrians.
The pedestrian improvements will mean longer lights for cars, but the city says the changes are needed to give pedestrians more time to cross.
The AMT, a provincial agency, has for years been studying whether it could eliminate the Elmhurst and nearby Westminster Ave. level crossing. No decision has been made and changes would take years to be put in place. Q. Once again, de la Cathédrale St., between René-Lévesque Blvd. and St-Jacques St., is closed to traffic for roadwork. Last summer, the same section of road was closed for several months, resulting in traffic havoc in the downtown core during rush hour, and the same situation seems to be repeating this year. I visited the city of Montreal’s “InfoTravaux” website to try to find more details The website mentions the roadwork on de la Cathédrale between René-Lévesque and de la Gauchetière St., but does not specifically mention the section of the street between St-Antoine and St-Jacques. Is there any timeline for completing the work on this section? The city should do a better job of warning people in advance about roadwork and communicating the details of roadwork on downtown streets, which have a heavy effect on traffic.
Robert A. The city of Montreal is repairing sewer pipes and water mains, pavement and sidewalks on de la Cathédrale. Work started on May 20 and is to continue until late July.
The city’s Info-Travaux page (visit ville.montreal. qc.ca/chantiers, then click Travaux en cours) actually includes some infor mation about this work, but it’s not easy to find because it’s mislabelled. It’s mentioned under de la Cathédrale, between René-Lévesque and de la Gauchetière.
Some of the information on the site is also outdated. For example, one section suggests the only impediment between René-Lévesque and de la Gauchetière is that parking is only allowed on one side. In fact, this entire stretch has been closed to traffic for weeks. Squeaky Wheels mailbag (STM cut 105-Sherbrooke service, then built bus lane, Squeaky Wheels, June 23)
It should come as no sur- prise to anyone that the STM (Stuck in The Mud) has wasted a huge amount of money ($760,000) on a dubious plan that does not live up to inflated promises. I am not the first person to say that bus service would have been much i mproved i n terms of efficiency and safety by moving the bus stops across the intersection in the direction that the bus is travelling. With the money saved, the STM could have bought a few more buses to reduce crowding. To really join the 21st century and speed up all the traffic, the traffic lights could be coordinated. What a revolutionary idea.
Ron Diamond
I used to live in N.D.G., and while I forked out cash monthly for a transit pass, I almost always found myself walking to Vendôme because of no 105, overcrowded 105s, or 105s that didn’t stop because they were full. It’s laughable that Marvin Rotrand doesn’t see this as more than an isolated issue. He’s obviously not taking it during peak periods, if at all.
Allison Saunders Cicchetti
If he’s never seen people left behind at the bus stop, then he sure isn’t riding the same 105.
Anile Prakash