News   Nov 22, 2024
 789     1 
News   Nov 22, 2024
 1.4K     5 
News   Nov 22, 2024
 3.5K     8 

Montréal Transit Developments

Should GO RER be included on this?

Seems reasonable. Much of REM will have 15 minute off-peak frequencies similar to the GO RER proposal. GO already runs 6 minute peak-frequencies (for a small peak) on parts of Lake Shore and won't be reducing peak service with the expansion.
  • Bois-Franc and Aéroport Montréal-Trudeau: 10 min during rush hour, 15 min off-peak
  • Between Bois-Franc and Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue: 10 min during rush hour, 15 min off-peak
  • Between Bois-Franc and Deux-Montagnes: 5 min during rush hour, 15 min off-peak
 
That’s not even factoring in the inevitable Toronto cancelations.
No cancellations in Montreal? I'm approaching retirement, and that Blue Line extension to Anjou (and the earlier alignment to Montreal North) was in the map on the Metro cars when I was in high school! The Point-aux-Trembles LRT (Line 8) was announced the first time when I was in University - though never made it to the map on the trains.

The Montreal North branch is interesting - presumably an alternate for the Pix-IX/Montreal-Nord Metro (see Line 7 on the 1984 map below). I see it joins the Repentigny commuter train alignment. I wonder if they are thinking a long-term extension to replace the commuter train. That would eliminate the going through the tunnel issue. But presumably a long ride.

Those futuristic maps on the Metro were always bizarre, with Line 5 and Line 7, but no line 3 (which would have been the REM from Central to near Bois Franc) nor 6 (which morphed into the Repentigny train)

1984 Plan
1608046118997.png
 
Whoa...
Elevated downtown on Rene Levesque Blvd?
Wow.
Hopefully that will be an example for other cities regarding the fesibility of elevated rail
in a downtown/built-up environment or down central median boulevards.

1280px-Boulevard_Ren%C3%A9-L%C3%A9vesque_Est_Montr%C3%A9al_Canada.jpg


That stretch of Rene Levesque could really use some modernizing... and we don't need an 8 lane boulevard cutting through a predominantly residential neigbhorhood. Cut out 2-3 traffic lanes and it'll be perfect :cool::cool:

4qg5xh.jpg
 
Last edited:
One long term benefit of this expansion is not just better transit but opening up large areas of the city to better mobility. Eastern and Northeast MTL are traditionally lower income neighborhoods with high supply of cheap housing stock (where you could still rent a 2 bedroom apartment for less than $700), so providing them with rapid transit will help Montreal’s housing affordability and open up new places to live affordably across the island. This is a huge win in the long run for the city in terms of social-economic equity and creating affordable housing.
 
One long term benefit of this expansion is not just better transit but opening up large areas of the city to better mobility. Eastern and Northeast MTL are traditionally lower income neighborhoods with high supply of cheap housing stock (where you could still rent a 2 bedroom apartment for less than $700), so providing them with rapid transit will help Montreal’s housing affordability and open up new places to live affordably across the island. This is a huge win in the long run for the city in terms of social-economic equity and creating affordable housing.
It makes me realize that Montreal seems to be in a very good position for dealing with the impact of population growth, getting ahead of the curve. Let's hope all the municipalities make good zoning choices...
 
Off topic - Coincidentally was talking of the same with a friend who is looking to buy ... while this will open up new areas to better mobility, it will also make further parts of the island unaffordable to buy. 🤷‍♂️ That has already happened in the west island suburbs after REM took off. That being said, better transit is the only way to open up.
 
Off topic - Coincidentally was talking of the same with a friend who is looking to buy ... while this will open up new areas to better mobility, it will also make further parts of the island unaffordable to buy. 🤷‍♂️ That has already happened in the west island suburbs after REM took off. That being said, better transit is the only way to open up.
yup. I live in the West Island. It used to be middle class and still is but is definitely becoming more upper class, especially by the water on the south side, and in Pointe-Claire. The REM has definitely accelerated this trend. Maybe the wealthy new residents will actually leave the suburbs and go downtown with the REM for a change though lol
 
I'm sure we'll see revisions with some of René Lévesque being underground....and possible extension West to Lachine.
 
Seems reasonable. Much of REM will have 15 minute off-peak frequencies similar to the GO RER proposal. GO already runs 6 minute peak-frequencies (for a small peak) on parts of Lake Shore and won't be reducing peak service with the expansion.
  • Bois-Franc and Aéroport Montréal-Trudeau: 10 min during rush hour, 15 min off-peak
  • Between Bois-Franc and Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue: 10 min during rush hour, 15 min off-peak
  • Between Bois-Franc and Deux-Montagnes: 5 min during rush hour, 15 min off-peak
So including the RER project assuming they through-run trains at Union.

Lakeshore Line from Oshawa to Burlington - (102 km)
Kitchener Line / Stouffville Line from Unionville - Bramalea - (60.4 km) + 3.3 km from the UP Express assuming the UP become part of the GO network. (63.7 km)
Barrie Line from Union to Aurora - (48.4 km)

Total: 214.1 km for the 15 min portions. Pretty good. And that doesn't include potential electrification / 15 min service up to Mount Pleasant or Milton Line electrification.
 
Last edited:
1) I really hope they change the colour. I don't know why they went with just a different shade of green for REM 1, and now they're going for teal. I was hoping we'd use primary/secondary/tertiary colours first.
2) Labelle is listed as an intermodal station (presumably with Berri-UQAM). I hope that there's a dedicated walkway between the REM station and the metro. Yellow line to green/orange is a bit of a walk, but at least it's streamlined. I hope we get the same here
3) I really, really hope that development happens in a sustainable and equitable way. Given the scale at which we're building transit, it almost seems like there's too much going on for lower income people to be priced out all over the region, but I just hope nobody gets too greedy and that this helps cost of living stay low...er
4) This makes my heart yearn for HFR to finally get approved and HFR phase 2 to get pushed through. I'm getting greedy.
 
CBC's story on this:


Global's Story here:


Montreal Gazette's here:

 

Back
Top