Montreal to replace Van HorneRosemont overpass

The City of Montreal is moving ahead with plans to replace the 46-year-old Van HorneRosemont overpass and redevelop Rosemont Boulevard between Saint-Denis and Saint-Hubert streets.

On Sunday, city officials launched a design contest for architectural and engineering plansfor the project.

The winner will be unveiled in 2018.

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Lionel Perez, the city executive committee member in charge of infrastructure, said the overpass will reach the end of its lifespan in a few years and it's an opportunity to make some changes.

"We're seizing this opportunity to rethink the overpass concept and make the area more livable and enjoyable," Perez said.

The new overpass will make room for bikes and pedestrians and feature more green space.

The cost of the project is estimated at between $90 to $100 million.

Project comes as surprise toRosemont mayor

Franois Croteau, the mayor of theRosemontLaPetite-Patrieborough and a city councillor with Projet Montral, said the announcement is "good news" for hisborough and the adjacent PlateauMont-Royal borough.

He said the project was proposed by Projet Montral in both boroughs, though neither borough was consulted prior to Sunday's announcement.

"We don't know if this was improvised or what," he said.

Many question marks remain, he said, including the fate of a skate parkunder the overpass that thePlateauMont-Royal borough is planning to build this summer.

"We're a little bit worried about that," he said.

• Land formerly filled with gravel and weeds turned into Mile End park