Home > News

Montreal highway to be transformed into a new urban space with greenery and bike paths

The Bonaventure Expressway, connecting the Samuel de Champlain Bridge to the port, is set for a significant reconfiguration

December 27, 2023
Share on SMS

On Dec. 19, federal and city officials unveiled plans to convert the Bonaventure Expressway into a scenic boulevard adorned with greenery, pedestrian lanes, and cycling paths along the picturesque St. Lawrence River. The redesign of this section of Highway 10 involves relocating the roadway from the riverbanks to make room for a vibrant green corridor, complete with a versatile pathway and dedicated space for pedestrians.

A Montreal cyclist shared their first experience with the Bixi winter pilot project

Complete transformation, greener and more beautiful

“It’s going to be a lot nicer and a lot more pleasant,” Pablo Rodriguez, the federal transport minister said to the CBC. “Bonaventure was built in 1966. I was born in 1967. Some things age better than others. This is going to be a complete transformation. We’re going to make it greener, we’re going to beautify. It’s going to be fun. It’s going to be cool.”

The anticipated undertaking comes with a price tag of $282 million, scheduled to start in 2025 and slated for completion by 2029, according to a news release from the Jacques Cartier and Champlain Bridges Corporation. The transformation includes adding 650 trees, 18,000 shrubs, and an array of perennial flowers within the green corridor. The speed limit will be reduced from 70 km/h to 50 km/h, accompanied by the incorporation of traffic lights.

Protests, assaults, and vandalism erupt over new bike lanes in Montreal

Time for a change

Montreal Mayor Valérie Plante expressed excitement for the changes, deeming them long overdue. “This is a major project that doesn’t come up that often when you think about it,” Plante said. “The idea of reappropriating our shores has always been at the heart of our work, of our aspirations for Montrealers. We’re on an island. We have a mountain in the middle, but we’re surrounded by water, and it’s nice to feel it.”