NDG residents who live between the escarpment and Sherbrooke St. are getting very worried about their neighbourhood, and how it will survive years of construction.
People in the St. Raymond's neighbourhood say it's been difficult to put up with the construction around the MUHC superhospital, but say what is planned for the next few years is nothing short of ridiculous.
"Slowly every access is being closed off for different projects -- being Turcot, or the MUHC, the Upper Lachine closing. So how is this neighbourhood going to survive if no one can come in or come out?" demanded Maxime Denoncourt.
At a public meeting on Tuesday evening, representatives from the City of Montreal said the area would be facing a short-term sacrifice for long-term gain, and said the neighbourhood will eventually benefit from all the projects currently underway.
CTV Montreal reporter Maya Johnson said most of those packed into the basement of the Trinity Church were not convinced at all.
Many asked the city to delay its projects for at least two years, if not to cancel them entirely.
"The number one conflict is that they've gotta tear down St-Jacques over the Decarie Expressway and they won't commit to delaying the closure of Upper-Lachine until that's finished. And that's ridiculous," said local NDG councillor Peter McQueen.
The southeastern entrance to the area, St. Jacques St., has already been subject to numerous restrictions over the past few years, and this summer the roadway is being removed: Transports Quebec will be replacing a bridge and rebuilding it one metre lower than it currently sits. It is currently scheduled to reopen in 2015.
St. Jacques is also heavily-used by eastbound traffic heading to St. Henri or the Ville Marie Expressway, but that route will also be eliminated, with the 720 entrance only being restored when the Turcot Interchange is rebuilt, currently projected for completion in 2018.
The eastern entrance is Upper Lachine Rd., and the city of Montreal wants to fill in the roadway and transform it into a park.
"We are working with our partners, the City of Montreal and the Montreal transit service, towards various scenarios for the managment of traffic in the area over the coming two years," said Transport Quebec spokesman Alain Dube.
Aside from accessing the area via Cavendish Blvd. and St. Jacques St.--a full 2 km to the west, that leaves just one way in or out of the area for the next two years: Girouard Ave., a road that was converted from a one-way into a two-way road in 2010.
The next public consultation meeting is scheduled to take place next month.
