Mayor Denis Coderre says Montreal will build a new walkway going from Mount-Royal to the St. Lawrence River.

The route will cut through the heart of downtown Montreal, leading from the mountain steps at the intersection of Peel Street and Pine Avenue down to the Old Port.

The project, at a cost of $42 million, will be one of many projects celebrating Montreal’s 375th anniversary.

The mayor says pedestrians are a priority for the city.   He considers this a legacy project for Montreal.

The project will be completed by May 2017. By then, the mayor explained, the route will have transformed the downtown area with greenery, wider sidewalks and upgraded sewers.

However, about 89 parking spots will be lost in the downtown core. The mayor said they will replace them by increasing parking in other areas.

The project will be submitted to public consultation before final plans are presented in June 2015, explained the mayor Wednesday morning at city hall.

New pedestrian walkway for Montreal