In a determined effort to reimagine urban space and reduce through traffic in residential neighborhoods, the Plante administration is testing a new concept in Montreal: superblocks.

The pilot project will roll out at the start of the 2025 school year on a 300-meter stretch of de Rouen Street in the Centre-Sud district.

Specifically, three intersections will be blocked with concrete barriers, forcing drivers to turn around.

Those entering from the north must exit the same way, and the same applies to those coming from the south.

The goal is clear: to deter drivers from using this street as a shortcut, especially given its proximity to major infrastructure like the Jacques-Cartier Bridge and the Louis-Hippolyte-La Fontaine Tunnel.

This redesign aims to protect vulnerable road users, particularly students at nearby Saint-Anselme Elementary School.

According to Sophie Mauzerolle, the city’s transportation lead, this is a first for Montreal: “Doing it in such a structured way and creating a large quadrilateral of several streets is a first.”

Despite concerns, the City is staying the course. This project could pave the way for similar initiatives in other Montreal neighborhoods, in pursuit of a greener, calmer, and safer city