The price of the extension for the Société de Transport de Montreal’s (STM) blue line, which adds five new accessible stops along Jean-Talon Street, is now $4.7 billion, according to the STM.
A year ago, the government of former Quebec premier Philippe Couillard stated that the cost of the 5.8-kilometre expansion was set at $3.9 billion but failed to consider taxes and expropriation costs.
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The STM says the budget was and is still subject to changes.
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“The project is still in the planning phase, therefore it is normal that the estimated budget evolves as the project progresses,” said STM spokesperson Philippe Déry.
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Another issue, the STM explains was that Exo was originally granted the expansion contract but when it handed the contract over to the Metropolitan Regional Transportation Authority, Exo still hadn’t paid the taxes due on the project.
In addition to five new metro stations in Montreal’s east end, the project includes two new bus terminals, one park-and-ride lot with 1,200 spaces and one underground pedestrian tunnel providing a link to the future Pie-IX reserve bus lane.
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The blue line extension will have new metro stations at the intersections of Lacordaire Boulevard, Viau Boulevard, Langelier, Pie-IX and Galeries D’Anjou shopping centre.
The final budget is said to be confirmed in 2021.