ouest-de-lîle Station Fairview-Pointe-Claire - Discussion

[Enalung]

On 2020-09-26 at 8:22 AM, Gab20442 said:

Je m’interroge cependant plutôt sur le fait que c’est peut-être Cadillac Fairview qui ne le souhaite pas. Cet édicule serait en plein dans un lot appartenant à CF, mais peut-être qu’ils en seront enclins dans quelques années.

Ils risquent de se le faire dire par les usagers. Quand mon centre d'achat à fait des rénovations et que les supports à vélo ont disparut, je suis passé à l'administration. La situation a été corrigé assez rapidement. C'est à leur avantage d'assurer un comfort minimum de la clientèle qui fréquentent les commerces du centre d'achat. Avec le REM, ça pourrait carrément être ça qui fait la différence entre le choix d'un usager de magasiner dans leur centre d'achat, ou au centre-ville, dans le vaste sous-terrain de Réseau. Avec le REM, les clients vont pouvoir aller là où ils veulent.

Je l'ai constaté quand j'habitais Longueil, le centre d'achat à proximité de la station montrait des signes clair de détresse. Pourtant, ils sont juste l'autre bord de la voie d'accès au pont Jacques-Cartier. Je n'y suis entré qu'une seule fois. J'arrivais en autobus à la station Longueil, je prenais le métro et j'allais magasiner au centre-ville. C'est véritablement tout ce que ça prenait pour moduler mon choix.

[SameGuy]

Just a couple of crappy shots from behind Reno as I was passing through 

[budgebandit]

From the Devisubox camera yesterday (Nov 4 2020): 

 

[SameGuy]

I can’t believe people are only scratching their heads now, four years later, and saying, “Oh my God, how can there be no link to the south side of the 40?”

https://montrealgazette.com/news/local-news/west-island-gazette/pedestrian-walkway-proposal-to-fairview-rem-station-a-no-brainer

Pedestrian walkway proposal to Fairview REM station a 'no-brainer'

Without an elevated walkway, pedestrians trying to access the REM station from south of Highway 40 face a difficult and dangerous 2-km walk.

Author of the article:

John Meagher  •  Montreal Gazette

Some local businesses have put forth a proposal for a north-south pedestrian walkway over Highway 40 in Pointe-Claire that would facilitate safe access to the future REM station next to the Fairview shopping centre.

“We are trying to convince CDPQ-Infra to consider incorporating a pedestrian connection over Highway 40 linking the new station to this sector,” said Robert Libman, an architect employed by Olymbec, which owns a business property at 7600 Trans-Canada Highway, directly across from where the new REM station is to be built.

Pedestrian walkway proposal to Fairview REM station a 'no-brainer'

“Otherwise, instead of being a stone’s throw away, users of this station will have a very long and dangerous walk every day,” Libman said.

Without an elevated walkway, pedestrians trying to access the REM station from the south side of Highway 40 must walk east to  St-Jean Blvd., cross over the highway overpass, and then head back west.

Access is not any safer for cyclists in the immediate area.

“Access for pedestrians to and from the new station via St-Jean is a very difficult two-kilometre walk and extremely dangerous with the configuration of the intersections and the Highway 40 ramps,” Libman said

“There are many points of potential conflict between pedestrian and fast-moving vehicles.”

He said the south side of Highway 40 includes an industrial/commercial sector, as well as Kuper Academy school and recreational facilities.

A letter proposing a pedestrian walkway was sent to CDPQ-Infra, builders of the REM, on Oct. 26. It was signed by representatives from Olymbec, Future Electronics and Capcium Inc.

Derek Stern is owner of Olymbec, which owns and operates industrial, office, retail and residential properties. He said he would be willing to sell a portion of company property in Pointe-Claire as an access point to an overhead pedestrian walkway.

“If you build it, they will come,” Stern said.

Libman said a walkway “a no-brainer in many ways. It would really link that station directly. It would be a direct pipeline to so many people and it’s certainly a lot safer than what is likely to result right now.”

Libman has also reached out to local politicians. “I’ve spoken to Pointe-Claire Mayor John Belvedere and he’s favourable to it. But there is a question of who assumes the cost of that infrastructure, and who becomes responsible for it. I think the safety and security issue is paramount here and that should certainly trump other factors.”

Libman, a former politician, said he is concerned the walkway proposal could get bogged down in government bureaucracy.

“I’m concerned it might become a jurisdictional battle as to who becomes responsible. Is it municipal, federal or provincial? Often these jurisdictional debates paralyze things ever further when they shouldn’t be.”

Belvedere said the idea of a crossing over Highway 40 was being discussed even before the REM project.

“More so now, I’ve made representations to the CDPQ, and representations to Montreal about it. We’re all in agreement because we need some type of pedestrian/ bike crossover. Who’ll pay for it? That has to be determined. Who’ll be responsible for it? To be determined.”

Belvedere said the best location for a walkway has yet to be decided.

“We have many options. Stillview (Ave.) is another project. That’s one possibility. The other one is closer to (St-Jean), towards Fairview,” he said.

“We have to look at them all, and Montreal does, too, because it might be (considered a Montreal) agglo expense.”

If a future walkway offers direct access to the REM station, it should be paid for by the CDPQ, Belvedere said. “They should be considering how they’re going to get people from the south side to the north side. That’s the argument I’ve had with them since Day 1.”

In a statement, the CDPQ said it was working “with partners and local authorities to provide a tailor-made solution for each scenario. The reference project of the REM does not include any overpass infrastructure that crosses Highway 40.

“We will support the authorities that wish to undertake such projects to make sure they are integrated with the REM offering,” the CDPQ added.

 

 

[mk.ndrsn]

I didn't know Olymbec was willing to have the link pass trough their proprety. This is major since they are smack right in front of the station. Don't know if or when it will happen, but all parties involved seem to be for it so thats good news I guess.

[M.L.]

il y a une heure, SameGuy a dit :

Belvedere said the idea of a crossing over Highway 40 was being discussed even before the REM project.

Ce problème est aussi vieux que l'autoroute elle-même et sa gravité n'a fait que s'accroître avec l'augmentation de la population, la hausse du volume de circulation automobile et de celle des flux piétons et cyclistes (en autant que ces derniers acceptent de risquer leur vie). Les trois grandes artères construites au-dessus de la 40 (des Sources, Saint-Jean et Saint-Charles) l'ont été en fonction de l'automobile comme il se devait dans ces merveilleuses années '60. Adolescent, lorsque j'ai commencé à m'aventurer dans ce coin-là au début des années '80, c'était déjà de très beaux endroits pour se faire écraser. Aujourd'hui, quand je repasse là sur mon vélo de course, je mets toute la gomme et est très alerte afin de traverser ces échangeurs sans encombre.

Cela m'est difficilement compréhensible de constater que rien n'a été fait depuis et pourquoi l'on n'a pas multiplié les passerelles destinées aux piétons et cyclistes au-dessus de cette autoroute. Vu l'ampleur de la chose, les villes, l'agglomération ainsi que le ministère des Transports sont impliqués mais tout ce beau monde, s'il s'intéresse à la question, doit se renvoyer la balle depuis des années...

Maintenant, avec une station majeure de transport en commun localisée loin à l'ouest du boulevard Saint-Jean, une action s'impose mais on ne devrait pas négliger non plus tout le reste du corridor de l'autoroute 40 dans cette partie de l'île.

[SameGuy]

1 hour ago, mk.ndrsn said:

I didn't know Olymbec was willing to have the link pass trough their proprety. This is major since they are smack right in front of the station. Don't know if or when it will happen, but all parties involved seem to be for it so thats good news I guess.

“All parties,” just like the Dorval extension. 😉

It should be noted that in today’s world a dedicated “active transport” overpass would likely need to be accessible, adding to complexity and cost.

[danny12345]

I also agree a ramp is needed, and this is yet another example of a REM station not correctly anchored to its neighborhood (Canora too far north, Panama south side, Anse-à-l'orme too far West, etc.)

Starting from the corner of Saint-Jean and Hymus, it is a 2000 meters walk without the proposed walkway, and 1300 meters with it. 

I would recommend making the pathway available to both cyclists and pedestrians, thus fully accessible and without stairs, so a ramp. 

I would also build it on the axis of Alston avenue, which would allow for a gradual ramp going up and down (red section in my paint schematic). 

[p_xavier]

Juste rename the street to Alstom and have them subsidize it.

[go_habs_go]

3 hours ago, danny12345 said:

I also agree a ramp is needed, and this is yet another example of a REM station not correctly anchored to its neighborhood (Canora too far north, Panama south side, Anse-à-l'orme too far West, etc.)

Starting from the corner of Saint-Jean and Hymus, it is a 2000 meters walk without the proposed walkway, and 1300 meters with it. 

I would recommend making the pathway available to both cyclists and pedestrians, thus fully accessible and without stairs, so a ramp. 

I would also build it on the axis of Alston avenue, which would allow for a gradual ramp going up and down (red section in my paint schematic). 

Great idea but this will never happen because you're making too much sense! I bet you they will build it with stairs, and the overpass will have a tiny fence that will make people feel unsafe while they cross the highway and within a few years the cement will crack and it will look terrible. Oh well, at least my expectations are low so how can I be disappointed right?!