It is on the green line of the Montreal metro that there are the most stations in poor condition among the nine of them which received the unenviable grade of “D” or “E”, we learned. The newspaper.
Papineau, Peel and De l’Église, located on the green line, are the three stations whose infrastructure is the most deteriorated and having received a grade of “E” by the Société de transport de Montréal (STM), according to a document received following a request for access to information.
Signs of deterioration at De l’Église station.
Photo Pierre-Paul Poulin
On the same line, the LaSalle and Frontenac stations obtain a grade of “D”.
This same rating was also given to the Champ-de-Mars and Henri-Bourassa stations on the orange line, as well as to Outremont and Parc on the blue line.
Last April, The duty reported that nine stations were considered “in poor condition” in the Annual Public Infrastructure Investment Management Plan. The latter, tabled in the National Assembly at the end of April, did not detail the names of the stations.
The document stated that 13% of the 68 stations were in poor condition, receiving a grade of “D” or “E.”
On May 13, Ensemble Montréal elected official Christine Black criticized the refusal of the president of the STM board of directors, Éric Alan Caldwell, to identify these stations to the Montreal city council.
Safe, says the STM
In interview with The newspaperthe general director of the STM, Marie-Claude Léonard, wanted to reassure users.
“The metro remains really safe,” she argued. We carry out lookouts, we carry out surveillance, and when there is the slightest doubt about safety, we will close a section, we will intervene locally.
Grades from A to E are awarded to metro stations based on the cost of all the work that needs to be done in each station. However, this does not mean that the most “critical” work to be done in the metro network is found in the stations with the worst rating, maintains Mme Leonard.
“Yes, it is necessary that we put money into maintaining assets and into these nine stations. But tomorrow morning, if we had money, we wouldn’t do [nécessairement] these nine stations.”
Also, Outremont station is currently undergoing work that will likely improve its grade to “D” when completed next fall.
More money demanded
This situation nevertheless illustrates the maintenance deficit plaguing the metro, according to Mme Léonard, while the STM is demanding an annual envelope of 560 million from the Government of Quebec (85%) and the City of Montreal (15%) over several years to correct the situation. This would be a significant increase in the amount granted in recent years, which was around 300 million.
For its part, the official opposition at Montreal City Hall Ensemble Montréal once again denounced the “opacity” of the STM in this matter.
It is “unacceptable” that we refused to provide this list “without having to go through a request for access to information,” lamented Christine Black, spokesperson for Ensemble Montréal on public transport and mobility. .
According to the STM, 90% of its assets will have reached more than 40 years of useful life in 2030.
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