The Glen superhospital site is going to become more accessible for people with limited mobility but not until 2019 and at a cost of $76.5 million.
Quebec Transport Minister Robert Poeti announced plans for a new tunnel leading from Vendome metro station to the hospital which include elevators for people in wheelchairs or who are otherwise limited in their ability to move.
It’s the second tunnel to lead from the station to the MUHC site. The first opened in June to criticism about its lack of accessibility. That tunnel leads to stairs outside the hospital grounds instead of elevators within the hospital itself.
When asked why the first tunnel wasn't fully accessible for people with limited mobility, Poeti deflected the question.
"You want to talk about the past, write a book about it, but I won't comment on that," he said.
At the announcement, the plans were touted as necessary even without the mobility issue as the AMT and STM project the number of people using the station will double to 18 million per year between the present day and 2021.
Poeti said that until the tunnel is ready, people can use an adapted transit shuttle service from Lionel Groulx metro station to the Glen site.
“They stop right in front of the door, better than before,” he said. “In between, the solution is great. On my side I think it’s good news. We can talk about the past. Can we do better than the past? That’s what we’re doing now.”
Projet Montreal city councillor Peter McQueen brought up concerns about the impact of the construction on public transit in the area.
"Because of course the loop around the existing Vendome metro entrance is extremely full of buses and it's at full capacity," he said.
Poeti said the plan is to break ground in spring of 2017.
