Montreal to reconfigure Sainte-Marie one-way streets to enhance safety after fatal hit-and-run
The City of Montreal says it will reconfigure the direction of certain streets in the Sainte-Marie neighbourhood to make them safer for pedestrians following last month's hit-and-run that killed a young girl.
Mayor Valerie Plante announced Friday that several traffic-calming measures will be implemented after the current school season to increase safety around schools and daycares in the area.
A stretch of Fullum Street will be turned into a one-way street under the new plan.
Earlier this month, residents and citizens' groups protested in Sainte-Marie, just east of the downtown core, calling for safer streets after last December's traffic death of seven-year-old Mariia Legenkovska, a Ukrainian refugee who came to Canada last fall after her family fled the Russian invasion in Ukraine.
A driver struck her while she was walking to school with her sister and then fled the scene.
Part of Plante's plan also includes changing the direction of two existing one-way streets — Parthenais Street and de Rouen Street — in an attempt to discourage drivers from using them "as shortcuts."
Here's what is changing:
- Fullum Street: will be a one-way street northbound between Ontario and Sherbrooke streets;
- Parthenais Street: will be a one-way street northbound between de Rouen and Sherbrooke streets;
- de Rouen Street: will be a one-way street eastbound between Fullum and D' Iberville streets.
The City of Montreal is making three roads into one-way streets in order to make them safer for pedestrians following a fatal hit-and-run last December. (Source: City of Montreal)
Some residents have complained about an increase in traffic on local streets since repairs on Lafontaine tunnel have rerouted traffic to the nearby Jacques Cartier bridge.
"I don't feel safe walking here. I have to be very vigilant about every step I take," said Marilou Diamond Doucet, who lives in the neighbourhood.
The mayor says the problem is clear. "There are too many cars that are too big and go too fast," Plante said.
Other new safety measures include adding speed bumps and widening certain sidewalks on some streets, which will come later this year. More details will be announced in the coming months, Plante said at a Friday morning news conference near Parc des Royaux.
Chris McCrey, a community activist, said the new road safety measures announced Friday are a good start.
"We have been saying for a while the Centre-Sud is under a lot of pressure with traffic increasing in the area," he said.
The new measures come after the city announced previously it would add larger stop signs, make part of Parthenais Street narrower, and heighten police presence in the area.
Mayor Valerie Plante announces new traffic-calming measures in Sainte-Marie, including turning streets into one-ways and adding speed bumps, during a press conference on Friday, Jan. 27, 2023. (Angela Mackenzie/CTV News)
Protesters took to the streets earlier this month, calling for the city and the province to make pedestrian safety, particularly in school zones, more seriously.
A 2022 report from Quebec's automobile insurance board showed that as of September, 39 pedestrians had lost their lives in collisions, which is an increase of 14.7 per cent compared to the entire year of 2021.
The city said the new measures will be monitored in order to assess their impact on making streets safer.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'He's in our hearts': Family and friends still seek answers one year after Nathan Wise’s disappearance
It’s been a year since Nathan Wise went missing and his family is no closer to finding out what happened to him.
'My family doctor just fired me': Ontario patients frustrated with de-rostering
Dozens of Ontarians are expressing frustration in the province’s health-care system after their family doctors either dropped them as patients or threatened to after they sought urgent care elsewhere.
Ottawa pizzeria places among top 20 deep-dish pizzas in the world at international competition
An Ottawa pizzeria is being recognized as one of the top 20 deep-dish pizzas in the world.
Canada Post cracks down on Nunavut loophole to get free Amazon Prime shipping
Amazon's paid subscription service provides free delivery for online shopping across Canada except for remote locations, the company said in an email. While customers in Iqaluit qualify for the offer, all other communities in Nunavut are excluded.
Wildfire near Fort McMurray more than triples overnight, several evacuation alerts remain in place
The fire burning near Fort McMurray grew from 25 hectares to 5,500 hectares over the weekend.
Putin replaces Russian defence minister in rare cabinet shakeup
Russia’s President Vladimir Putin began a Cabinet shakeup on Sunday, proposing the replacement of Sergei Shoigu as defence minister as he begins his fifth term in office.
Man fatally 'slashed in the neck' in downtown Toronto, suspect outstanding
Police are searching for a male suspect after a man was “slashed in neck” on Sunday morning in downtown Toronto and died.
WATCH Dashcam video shows terrifying near-miss on two-lane northern Ontario highway
There were some scary moments for several people on a northern Ontario highway caught on video Thursday after a chain reaction following a truck fire.
Edibles, armchairs and adapters: Here are the recalls for this week
Health Canada announced various product recalls this week, including electric adapters, armchairs, cannabis edibles and vehicle components.