Quebec gives greenlight to eastern tramway project in Montreal’s east end

Quebec's transport minister gives greenlight to eastern tramway project in Montreal’s east end.

The Tramway de l’est has finally been given the green light.

It’s something mayors and residents in communities in east Montreal have been demanding for years. Transport minister Geneviève Guilbault announced the start of the transportation projects preliminary phase Wednesday morning in Repentigny, Que.

“We started from nothing in 2018 and today we have this,” said Guilbault referring to a mock-up of the 38-kilometre light-rail line.

It will be Mobilité Infra Québec’s first project.

On Island, the tramway will run along Sherbrooke Street East, Maurice-Duplessis and Lacordaire Boulevards. Plans include 31 stations that will help connect commuters to the blue and green Metro lines.

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According to the Autorité régionale de transport métropolitain (ARTM), for people living in the eastern part of Montreal, the tramway will bring them to the green line in under 30 minutes. It will then take them about 15 minutes to get downtown, for a total commute of 45 minutes.

Trajectoire Quebec says some people may prefer to take the train, but it’s still not as fast as driving a car downtown, which takes around 30 minutes total.

“We think it will be a better competition. But some things maybe could be perfect[ed] in the next months and years to make it even more competitive,” said co-spokesperson Philippe Jacques.

Call for tenders will be launched in the fall. Guilbault says the train is expected to be on the tracks by 2027 at the latest.