The Plante administration is not acting to improve car traffic in Montreal and has failed to deliver on an election promise to do so, the official opposition accused at City Hall this morning.
Posted 11:51am Updated 2:47pm
Philippe Teisceira-Lessard The press
Ensemble Montréal noted that the mayor’s party had pledged to host a major construction site summit “within the first six months” of their election. Ten months after the November 2021 elections, no such event has yet been announced.
“The promise was not kept,” said Alan DeSousa, mayor of the Saint-Laurent district and spokesman for the opposition. “We see Projet Montréal twiddling their thumbs while everyone is stuck in traffic. »
Mr. DeSousa regrets the lack of coordination between the various municipal, state and private actors to better coordinate artery closures related to construction sites. “We don’t just have real estate management, we have real estate management,” he said.
The Plante administration defends itself
In a written statement, Mayor Valérie Plante’s office defended its mobility record.
“Our administration is actively working with all partners to reduce the impact of congestion, particularly through the blitz actions led by the mobility group, which are removing orange cones and useless panels,” explained the mayor’s spokeswoman, Catherine Cadotte. “It is a collective effort that must be made, given that 75% of construction sites are the responsibility of the private sector and contractors independent of the City of Montreal, who must take responsibility and do their part, particularly by respecting the measures imposed by the City in their location. »
Ms Cadotte also pointed out the annual intensification of traffic jams with each return. The city estimates vehicle traffic is currently 5% above pre-pandemic 2019 levels.
Last year, the Plante management provided Montreal with a “construction site charter”, which major customers working in Montreal have joined. In particular, they pledged to coordinate their work better and make it safer.