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During his last day in office, Quebec City mayor urges government to reconsider divisive tunnel project

Quebec City Mayor Regis Labeaume responds to reporters questions as Quebec Transport Minister Robert Poeti, right, looks on in Quebec City on September 24, 2015. (Jacques Boissinot / The Canadian Press) Quebec City Mayor Regis Labeaume responds to reporters questions as Quebec Transport Minister Robert Poeti, right, looks on in Quebec City on September 24, 2015. (Jacques Boissinot / The Canadian Press)
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MONTREAL -

In his final act as mayor, Quebec City's Régis Labeaume made a plea with the premier: don't go through with the "third link" tunnel project.

Labeaume, who stepped down from his 14-year seat earlier this week, posted a lengthy letter to his Facebook page Thursday containing "concerns and thoughts regarding mobility in Quebec City."

In May, the CAQ government announced it would construct a minimum $7 billion tunnel under the St. Lawrence river, connecting Quebec City and its South Shore.

But Labeaume argues that the tunnel won't reduce traffic on the existing connectors between these two territories -- the Pierre Laporte Bridge and the Quebec Bridge. In his view, the "mobility habits" of the population simply don't justify such a major undertaking.

The entrances and exits of the third link are located on the eastern side of both territories. However, according to a 2019 survey from Quebec's transport ministry, "three-quarters of the vehicles that leave the South Shore come from the west of this territory to go to Quebec City and vice versa for the return trip," Labeaume writes.

"It is also recognized that most of the residential development on the South Shore is taking place in the western part of the territory," he adds.

Instead of constructing the tunnel, Labeaume proposes that a new lane be added to the Pierre Laporte Bridge in the direction of morning and evening traffic, "as is done on the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco or on the Louis Bisson Bridge in Laval."

To improve traffic flow, he also recommends modifying entry and exit lanes at either end of the bridges, and recommends improving public transit in the South Shore to reduce congestion overall.

"Together, these solutions would correct the traffic congestion situation for a long time to come, I believe, for only a portion of the $10 billion investment planned for the tunnel."

Legault has yet to comment on the contents of Labeaume's letter.  

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