Montreal eclipsed targets for fixing roads, sewers and aquaducts in 2016

For the first time in recent history, the City of Montreal surpassed its goals forrepairs to its crumbling infrastructure last year.

Lionel Perez, the Montreal executive committee member responsible for infrastructure, saidthe city completed 110 per cent of its objectives eclipsing its targets for 2016 and increasingby 30 per cent its spending on repairs to roads, sewers and aquaducts over what was spent the previous year.

The $581-million investment means the city was able to complete:

• Reconstruction of 40 kilometres of sewers and aqueducts.
• Reconstruction of 66 kilometresof water networks.
• Repairs on198 kilometresof roads.

Of the total,$221 million went towards improvingthe condition of pavement, sidewalks, traffic lights, lighting, bridges and tunnels.

Another $261 million went towards sewer and aquaduct repairs, and the remaining$99 million was used for major road projects, such as Saint-Paul Street, VigerSquare andCte-Sainte-CatherineRoad.

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Perez said that the city was able to complete more work than it planned byputting in place incentives for contractors and improvingplanning and co-ordination between city departments.

• 2016 - 109.5 per cent.
• 2015 - 85 per cent.
• 2014 - 70 per cent.
• 2013 - 48 per cent.
• 2012 - 51 per cent.
• 2011 - 35 per cent.

The report also detailsimproved measures to communicate with the public, including detour announcements, better access to traffic cameras, increased presence of police and liaison officers, and the opening of an urban mobility management centre (CGMU).

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