Construction in Montreal literally never comes to an end. As construction crews finish one project, officials design another that will take years to complete.
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In the interim, Montreal roads are transformed into a nonsensical web of detours and dangerous turns. Extreme congestion not only frustrates motorists and multiplies commute times, but can also pose a danger to surorunding residential areas. Dust and smog pollute can be a health hazard for some unlucky residents.
I suppose we should be thankful that the city and province are actually investing in long-overdue infrastructure projects. Let's be real, Montreal roads, bridges, and tunnels are a mess.
But that doesn't mean we can't complain about construction in the meantime.
When we're not complaining, though, we can take some pleasure in artists' renderings of completed projects.
One highly anticipated project is the renovation of the Louis-Hyppolyte-La Fonataine Tunnel, which connects Longueuil and Boucherville to Hochelaga.
The tunnel is a major thoroughfare for commuters from the South Shore. Narrow, dank, and grey, it not only inadequately accomodates its current demand, but is also rather terrifying.
But this week Transport Québec unveiled new renderings of plans for the tunnel, which include wider lanes, more lights, and brighter walls.
Just take a look at these before-and-after projections:
The bad news: the project will not be completed until 2023...
Take a careful look at the renderings. Montreal commuters will have to hold that image in their minds during construction for the next five years.