WATCH ABOVE: The mayor of Montreal west may consider putting underground railway tracks at a dangerous level crossing. Global’s Billy Shields has more.
MONTREAL WEST — After years of warning people about the dangers of a level crossing in his municipality, Montreal West mayor Beny Masella has had enough.
“It is an accident waiting to happen,” he told Global News over the phone.
He described the intersection of Sherbrooke West and Westminster as “the most dangerous rail road crossing in Canada.”
“It’s a ticking time-bomb.”
Masella isn’t alone.
Several people in the area have voiced stern misgivings about the intersection, which incorporates a three-line rail road crossing and involves heavy bike and pedestrian traffic.
“I think it’s a very dangerous rail road crossing, and I would definitely love to see an underpass,” said Pamela Kujavsky, who walks her two children across the intersection.
The problem is, Masella expects the province to pay for the underpass through the Agence Metropolitaine de Transport (AMT) – the area’s regional commuter rail agency.
AMT officials did not return comment requests made by Global News.
At a press conference Sunday, Montreal mayor Denis Coderre and provincial Transport Minister Robert Poeti demurred when asked about the intersection.
Many residents worry it’s going to get worse before it gets better.
The ongoing work and activities surrounding the super hospital combined with constant foot traffic from Royal West Academy and additional AMT trains set to come on line could coalesce into a traffic nightmare.
Even as things stand now, cars frequently get stuck in the midst of the crossing during rush hour as the line-up of cars backs up into an active rail line carrying commuters.
“The arms come down and you have nowhere to go,” Kujavsky said.
Other residents, like Stan Ruckenstein, point to the problem of finding a solution.
“The fight is: whose responsibility it will be to pay for it.”
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