Les amis de la montagne’s response to the City of Montréal’s announcement about cutting transit circulation on Mount Royal

Given the absence of details regarding the proposal to put an end to transit traffic on the Camillien-Houde roadway announced on February 6 by Mr. Luc Ferrandez, the Montréal Executive Committee member responsible for large parks, Les amis de la montagne is currently not in a position to take a stand on this project, which has drawn much attention from the media. In the past few days, in response to queries from many journalists, we have nonetheless stressed the urgency of improving road safety on Mount Royal. To this end, Les amis de la montagne has released a discussion paper (French only) outlining our vision for accessibility and road safety reform on the mountain.

Developed in the early 1960s, the parkway concept allowing users to cross the mountain via the Remembrance / Camillien-Houde axis no longer corresponds to the current uses of this roadway, nor to the new vision for safe mobility of Mount Royal users. In light of our daily contact with the millions of Montrealers who visit the mountain day in day out, Les amis recommends a vocation for this route that favours the adoption of best practices in terms of safe road sharing between walkers, bicyclists and drivers, while allowing them to first and foremost discover and appreciate Mount Royal. We also propose solutions for the other sectors on Mount Royal where there are known security problems.

The following points summarize our recommendations:

1. The redevelopment of the Remembrance / Camillien-Houde roadway must result from a strategy and action plan encompassing the territory as a whole.
2. Public transit service on Mount Royal needs to be significantly improved to meet the needs of all mountain users - families, people with reduced mobility, picnickers and outdoor enthusiasts with their sports equipment, etc.
3. The reform of road safety on the Mount Royal territory must incorporate the goals advocated by the global Vision Zero road safety movement that Montréal has adhered to since 2016 and has begun deploying as part of its transportation plan.
4. The Remembrance / Camillien-Houde roadway must, through its redevelopment, become a safe and inviting route allowing users to enjoy the exceptional landscape and natural qualities of the Mount Royal heritage site.

It is clear that accessibility and road safety on the mountain are real concerns for all Montrealers. This is an opportunity for the City to adopt an exemplary approach in the implementation of a visionary redevelopment project of high quality for Montréal and its citizens. Les amis de la montagne is more than ready to make an informed and constructive contribution to this process.