Montreal's St-Pierre interchange to undergo safety enhancements for pedestrians and cyclists

In an effort to make it safer for pedestrians and cyclists, the City of Montreal is planning to make long-awaited changes to the St-Pierre interchange in LaSalle.

For years, residents in the area have criticized the interchange as being dangerously unsafe.

According to provincial data, 81,000 vehicles use this transportation hub every day. Over the last 12 years, three people have been killed in accidents at the interchange.

In memory of cyclists who lost their lives, two ghost bikes were placed as a sombre reminder of the dangers present at the major junction. In 2017, a woman in her 80s was fatally hit by a truck.

The city recorded 66 car collisions with pedestrians and cyclists between 2016 and 2020.

At the intersection of St-Pierre and Notre-Dame Street West, considered a particularly dangerous section of the interchange, cyclists have to cross two highway entrances to reach the bike path.  Residents told CTV News that sometimes trucks miss pedestrians in their blind spots.

The mayor of the borough, Maja Vodanovic, said the city has already made changes at a cost of $125 million dollars, including increasing the crossing time at one of the traffic lights from 20 to 35.

“I must say that when I do it by bike, I’m always afraid,” Vodanovic said.  

According to the mayor, more improvements are on the way, such as raising the sidewalk where one cyclist was struck, which would force truckers to brake.

“The sidewalks will be a lot larger. The lights will be moved as well because right now they’re kind of in the way of the cyclists and pedestrians,” the mayor said.

However, all the modifications are temporary as Quebec’s Transport Ministry is planning to rebuild the interchange.

A spokesperson told CTV News that the ministry has tasked a consortium to study long-term solutions, with answers expected in 2025.