NDG residents concerned about MUHC transportation nightmare

MONTREAL – City councillor Peter McQueen has heard all kinds of concerns from his constituents in NDG over what is quickly descending into a transportation nightmare.

The construction of what’s been dubbed the MUHC Superhospital, the new McGill University Health Centre in the borough of NDG, has become a seriousa cause for concern for residents and commuters.

Many are worried about what seems to be a lack of joined-up thinking when it comes to urban planning.

“People who take the 105 bus are definitely frustrated and concerned when St-Jacques goes down (temporarily),” said McQueen.

“The entry ramp to the 720 eastbound is coming down permanently.”

That translates into completely rerouted bus traffic, which is already starting to irk commuters who use the Vendome Metro station as a hub.

“I spend all this money on a bus pass and everything and I can’t seem to get where I’m going,” one user fumed.

“I think public works should just work on one project at a time and move onto another one. They’ve got 50 projects all over the place and one big mega hospital, and nothing ever gets done.

“The streets are destroyed.”

MUHC and Quebec and city transport officials are holding a public consultation on Monday night at 7 pm. at Glen Hall at 5100 de Maisonneuve.

One of the anticipated topics will be a $75 million tunnel that is planned for the Vendome Metro that would connect it to the Superhospital.

Currently the metro station is cut off from the hospital by train tracks, making it virtually inaccessible from the metro.

“I don’t know how to get to the hospital period,” one commuter told Global News.

“Certainly we will need some sort of wide open illuminated tunnel,” said another.

McQueen said that until the metro tunnel is built, someone wanting to walk from the metro to the hospital would have to walk to Decarie Blvd. to get there.