If re-elected in the upcoming municipal election, which officially begins its campaign on Friday, Montreal mayor Valérie Plante is promising to finally bring her pink line to fruition.
The transit project was one of Projet Montreal’s key campaign promises in 2017.
It would run from Lachine through downtown to Montréal North.
One of its stations would be located near park Lasalle in Lachine, where Plante’s press conference took place.
Even though it still hasn’t seen the light of day, Plante is hopeful the project will concretize.
“I’ve never seen a project like that being put into Quebec’s book so fast,” Plante said.
“Let’s just think about the blue line. That was the last project. It took 20 years and since we took office, it’s finally happening. Because we put the energy, we worked with the RTM, the government of Quebec, the STM, because we want this to happen.”
The proposal was the subject of intense negotiations with the provincial government.
After much talk and studies, it was added to the government’s 10-year Quebec Infrastructure Plan (PQI).
“I wish people would realize how big this is, that the pink line got into the PQI in Quebec and that we got a commitment from the government of Quebec and that the studies are being done,” Plante said.
“The blue line took 20 years and already the pink line from downtown to here is in the book. I’m not saying it’s all done. The work needs to continue and the pressure needs to continue, but it is a big deal.”
Plante, however, won’t give a date to complete the project.
“It’s about making sure it keeps on moving,” Plante said. “To be honest, in the last election I did give a date and it was not the right date, so I’ve learned.”
The pink line is part of several projects that her administration is promising to present or complete in the next 500 days if elected.
“In the 500 days it was pushing forward with some of the outcomes from the studies. When you have a project like this, there’s different steps, that’s for sure,” the mayor said.
Feasibility studies on the western part of the project started in June and are being conducted by L’autorité régionale de transport métropolitain (ARTM), the public transit authority of Greater Montreal.
The studies are costing $20 million.
“Our hope is definitely that while the studies are being done, that we can move forward quite fast,” Plante said.
The feasibility studies will help determine what kind of technology will be used, the cost and the timeframe.
Montreal’s municipal election is set to take place on Nov. 7.
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