McGill College Avenue will finally get the facelift it was promised, with additional pedestrian space and a single car lane in each direction. The project aims to add much-needed green space to the downtown core, and will also allow for the construction of the future light rail (REM) McGill station, slated to open in 2022.
The plans were approved Friday (Feb. 15) by Montreal’s public consultation office (OCPM), which met citizens last November. McGill College Avenue has long been a hub of activity in the core of downtown Montreal. The close proximity of McGill University, as well as many office buildings, makes this wide, sprawling avenue a prime spot for urban development.
The avenue’s sidewalks will be widened and its street narrowed, to allow for more pedestrian space and more trees. Work will happen gradually over the next three years, and its completion should coincide with the REM station’s inauguration. The station itself, once inaugurated, will be located under McGill College Avenue, between De Maisonneuve and Sainte-Catherine.
From North to South, as the avenue goes downhill, its theme will change, from “green” park space between Sherbrooke and President-Kennedy, to a more animated, theatrical theme at the southern extremity, between Sainte-Catherine and Place-Ville-Marie. The central section between President-Kennedy and Sainte-Catherine, car space will be reduced down to one lane.