Public transport in Quebec: a reduced-size tramway and subsequent phases towards the suburbs

The CDPQ Infra will suggest for the capital a backbone of public transport which will be a tramway, as initially proposed by the City of Quebec, but with a reduced size, we have learned The newspaper. It will be improved by several phases to serve the suburbs by tramway or trambus.

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In this crucial week for mobility in the Capitale-Nationale region, the Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec Infra (CDPQi) will submit its report tomorrow.

According to information from Newspaperafter studying all the studies on mobility, CDPQi came to the conclusion that the tram was the right backbone for the capital.

The route would run between the Le Gendre and D’Estimauville (or Charlesbourg) poles, with a 1.8 km tunnel between Parliamentary Hill and Saint-Roch. But we recommend a technology with a reduced size.

The wagons will be shorter and narrower. The stations and the garage, less massive. Thus, we reduce costs, but above all we reduce the scale of the work and the impacts of the project’s insertion in a dense environment.

This limits several oft-mentioned irritants.

We are talking about less tree cutting and a lower platform which improves access to neighborhoods, for example.

In certain sectors where the distance between stations allows it, batteries would be used to power the tramway and some of the overhead wires could thus be eliminated. Technology makes it possible, according to the CDPQi report.

In addition to the tramway, the CDPQi is proposing two trambus antennas from the first phase: one between the Sainte-Foy pole and the Desjardins sector, in Lévis, and the other on Charest Boulevard, over 5 km, at a cost of $600 million. .

Serving the suburbs

Also, to create an efficient network that serves the suburbs, we propose the creation of subsequent phases, i.e. links to neighborhoods like Charlesbourg, D’Estimauville and Lebourgneuf or even Val-Bélair possibly.

But it will be up to the Quebec government to determine the precise sequence for carrying out these phases.

Depending on the places to be served, we recommend modes on rails, such as the tramway, or on wheels, such as trambuses, also called “SRB” (Rapid Bus Service).

The city should pay more

It is increasingly understood that the City of Quebec will have to pay more than what was planned in the initial tramway project.

For the creation of the tram network as such (the rails, the trains, etc.), the initial sharing would remain the same (50% from the provincial, 40% from the federal and 10% from the City).

For urban developments along the route, such as the construction of parks, the lion’s share of the bill would be passed on to the City.

CDPQ INFRA PROPOSALS FOR STRUCTURAL TRANSPORT IN QUEBEC

• A 19 km tramway between Le Gendre and D’Estimauville (or Charlesbourg)
• Serving the suburbs during subsequent phases, for example tram or trambus

For the tram

• Shorter oars (35 to 40 meters instead of 45 meters) and less wide
• Less wide stations (7 meters instead of 10 meters)

Less extensive urban integration which allows

• less tree cutting
• a lower platform, 5cm instead of 15cm
• fewer overhead wires thanks to battery power between some downtown stations