MONTREAL — Lindsay Coll grew up in a spacious, wide house along Ste-Marie Road.
For most of her time growing up, the Carleton University student had virtually a straight shot to Ottawa by car from her home if she wanted it, because the on-ramp to the A-40 West was just outside her driveway.
When the two overpasses that linked her neighbourhood with the A-40 closed four years ago, it created a major headache for Coll and her family.
“I feel like I’m affected the most,” she said.
“People used to do a U-turn in our driveway. It would ruin our driveway.”
For years now, many residents of the town have put up with watching traffic whiz by on the A-40 without having an easy way to get there themselves.
“It’s a mess.”
It’s a situation that has caused “a lot of complaints,” said resident Jonathan Morin.
“There’s traffic backed up in the morning sometimes all the way up to the A-30.”
Last week, the city approved a measure that awarded a contract to Bau Val Construction to replace the two overpasses with a T-intersection that would have traffic lights.
According to Transports Quebec, the actual cost of the project is slated at around $1.5 million, plus tax.
The agency will contribute $1.1 million, the town will pony up $400,000, and anything spent over that will be shared on a 50-50 split between the two governments.
The amount mentioned in the minutes of the Feb. 9 town council meeting pegged the total cost at around $2.7 million.
“We’ve gotten used to the inconvenience.”
Some residents are saying the situation has persisted for long enough that the work might actually go unnoticed by some jaded commuters.
“Many people have found other routes,” said Mila Peskir, a resident of the town.
The work is slated to be completed by fall 2015.
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