Montreal will go ahead with its pilot project to ban most vehicles from crossing over Mount Royal as of June 2.
Mayor Valerie Plante announced the details of the project Friday afternoon – a project controversial enough that it spurred a petition and outcry from local residents.
She said drivers will still be able to access parts of the mountain if they want to go for a walk or a picnic this summer.
Using the mountain to cross through the city, however? That's going to be a problem
There will be 550 metres of Camillien-Houde Way closed to car traffic until the end of October.
Drivers coming in from the east will still be able to park by Smith House. Drivers coming in from the west will be able to park near Beaver Lake.
Only school, city, and tour buses will be allowed to use the stretch in between, along with emergency vehicles and funeral processions.
Plante said the timing for this project is right: New York City just announced it is banning all cars from Central Park and that this plan still offers some access to the mountain by car, while making it more accessible for cyclists and pedestrians
Those who use Camillien-Houde as part of their commute will need to find a new route. And there are many: the city said up 400 cars use Camillien-Houde per hour in each direction.
“For me this is an amazing opportunity to open up the mountain and I cannot wait for people to go on the mountain and see spots and places they’ve never seen before because it was dangerous for them to go across the road. So I’m really excited about this project and all the potential that comes with it,” said Plante.
The city said it is going to add more buses and two more stops on an existing summer route from Snowdon to Mount-Royal, with plans to start three weeks earlier than it usually would.
Public consultations are still going ahead: there will be two public information sessions in May. Consultations will also be held online for suggestions on how to tweak the pilot project and limit traffic on the mountain.
The results of the pilot project will be presented in November with another opportunity then for Montrealers to voice their concerns.
