Deadly 5-corner intersection at Décarie and de Maisonneuve slated for a revamp

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It was always supposed to be a temporary road configuration.

And to anyone arriving in the area for the first time, the road network around the MUHC superhospital certainly looks like it was slapped together in haste.

On the stretch of de Maisonneuve Blvd. between Prud’homme and Claremont Aves., white plastic medians hold up green poles next to the bike lane, asphalt falls short of meeting the sidewalk ramps and the driving lanes switch from the left side of the road to the right without much warning. There’s even loose asphalt left over after a water-main break earlier this year.

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Now, the borough of Côte-des-Neiges—Notre-Dame-de-Grâce wants to revamp the entire area, but motorists might not like some of the proposed changes, which are expected to come into effect in 2027.

Speaking to The Gazette Friday, borough mayor Gracia Kasoki Katahwa said something had to give in the area. The most critical intervention addresses the confusing five-corner intersection where Décarie Blvd. meets de Maisonneuve and Upper Lachine Rd., Katahwa said.

“People in the area call this the intersection of death, because two people died here,” Katahwa said. “It’s very prone to accidents. We have had 540 collisions in the last five years, and it’s hard to understand whether you’re a cyclist, a driver or pedestrian. I think everyone agrees it’s one of the worst intersections in Montreal.”

At that intersection, access to de Maisonneuve for cars will be blocked. Cyclists will be able to continue to roll through, however.

The entirety of de Maisonneuve between Décarie and Prud’homme will be strictly off-limits for cars. De Maisonneuve will be converted into a one-way street westbound starting at Prud’homme, which means all cars coming off the Décarie Expressway exit — which was built to handle motorists heading to the hospital — will only be permitted to turn right. Cyclists will be able to use de Maisonneuve in both directions.

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Zooming farther out, the entire stretch of de Maisonneuve between Décarie and Claremont will be reduced to two lanes, with a lane for buses to park to unload passengers in front of the Vendôme intermodal station. A new dropoff zone will be added in front of the station. Bike lanes on de Maisonneuve will be widened and a new bike path will be added on Upper Lachine.

The new road configuration will be presented to the public at 6:30 Tuesday night during an information session held via Zoom. Anyone wishing to attend the session must fill out an online form, but the session will also be recorded and available afterward.

Katahwa said the area is full of potential conflicts between all the different road users. The borough proposed the new configuration after consulting citizens and officials at the superhospital. Cyclists will be better protected, because the new configuration will follow the standards of the Réseau express vélo. Not only will the lanes be wider, but there will be better protection for cyclists and pedestrians. Under the current configuration, it’s not obvious where pedestrians are permitted to cross the bike lane to get to the métro or bus stops in the area, Katahwa said.

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“We will also widen the sidewalks, and in the area where cars now drive to the hospital, we will be planting lots of trees and making it very green,” she said.

Katahwa explained that the intersection was reconfigured in 2015 to ease traffic around the area for the opening of the superhospital, but it was intended to be temporary. Shortly after it was put in place, a cyclist was hit at the intersection and cyclist safety groups complained that it was unsafe. Two pedestrians were killed within a year in 2019 and 2020. At the time, then-borough mayor Sue Montgomery said the city had plans to improve safety in the area, but nixed them because of budgetary reasons.

As for the logic in making de Maisonneuve one way, Katahwa said fewer cars use the stretch of road between the Décarie Expressway and Décarie Blvd. than had been predicted. She knows some motorists will be upset about the changes, but believes they will make things simpler and safer.

“We’re going to be changing people’s habits in the area, but it will make it safer,” she said. “Something had to give, and the planners proposed closing off this roadway. Of course, some traffic will be redirected in the area.”

On Friday, Katahwa said since being elected in 2021, improving safety in the area has been her priority. However, the city had to wait to put in place solutions because of work on the Turcot Interchange, she said. That project wrapped up four years ago.

She said the project is even more urgent, as more than 1,000 residential units are expected to be built in the Décarie-Crowley sector, just across the street from the superhospital campus.

The Gazette reached out to officials at the MUHC for comment over the holiday weekend, but was not able to reach anyone in time for publication.

jmagder@postmedia.com

x.com/jasonmagder

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