MONTREAL — The organization building the REM de l’Est rail transit project has reached agreement with Canadian National to purchase a section of right-of-way, allowing it to relocate part of its route away from a major commercial corridor.
CDPQ Infra, the public-works contracting arm of public pension organization Caisse dépôt et placement du Québec, said it had secured an option to purchase a segement of the Souligny rail right-of-way, which will lead to a route change of more than 4.5 kilometers (2.8 miles), both avoiding a commercial corridor on Sherbrooke Street East and reaching a population pool farther away from an existing Metro subway line.
“This new alternative addresses concerns that have been raised, and also provides an opportunity to better serve the residents of Tétreaultville, who currently do not have access to adequate public transit,” Christian Ducharme, vice president of engineering for CDPQ Infra, said in a press release. The exact revision of the route will be determined following public consultations.
The REM de l’Est project is a 19.9-mile, C$10 billion project announced in 2020, separate from but related to the current Reseau express metropolitain light rail project under construction elsewhere in Montreal. It will include two lines and both above and underground right-of-way [see “Digest: Montreal REM light rail project unveils plans …,” Trains News Wire, Dec. 15, 2020]. Plans for an elevated section in downtown Montreal have faced significant opposition, with CDPQ Infra eventually agreeing to a tunnel for part of that segment to reduce the visual impact [see “Builder of Montreal light rail line agrees to downtown tunnel,” News Wire, Sept. 3, 2021]. Plans for a section in the Montreal-Nord neighborhood have also been changed from above-ground to underground.
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