It has been months since several utility poles were moved on to Napoleon Street, leaving residents in Montreal’s Plateau-Mont-Royal borough feeling frustrated.
The poles were displaced to make way for a scheduled sidewalk extension project that has yet to come to fruition.
According to Hydro-Québec, the poles were moved during the months of May and July but borough officials say unscheduled delays in the area have caused the work to be postponed.
However, Plateau-Mount-Royal spokesperson Michel Tangauy said on Tuesday the poles had to be moved before the sidewalk installation could go ahead.
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The poles have been left in the same spot throughout the summer and residents are concerned.
“It’s very, very dangerous for the cars,” Plateau resident Atif Khan said.
“There is so much traffic at night and with the bad lighting, maybe [the city] is waiting for an accident.”
Khan says he believes not much planning went into the implementation of the project.
“The good work of the Ville de Montréal is everywhere. We are just another victim,” Khan said.
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Aside from the placement of the utility poles, some residents say they are worried about the lack of parking in the area with a new sidewalk on the way.
“I have a vignette and I have difficulty finding parking. Sometimes I have to go three blocks,” longtime resident Ferlanda Ribeiro said. “This will only make it worse.”
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A cement barrier marked with orange paint is being used to shield the poles and prevent traffic collisions.
Work on the sidewalk extension project is expected to begin in September. Tanguay says the project is scheduled to be completed by mid-October.