Already an important transit artery, Saint-Urbain will be called upon to accommodate more travel within the same space in the coming years.

According to the City of Montreal, the project aims in particular to formalize the place of the bus by implementing a dedicated lane, which will optimize the routes of line 55 to downtown.

The redevelopment of Saint-Urbain Street will begin in the coming weeks between Bernard Avenue and Milton Street.

Here are some details:

The project aims to create "a sustainable mobility corridor" to protect cyclists and pedestrians. It is estimated that around 450 parking spaces will be eliminated to make way for a bus-only lane and a bike path from the Réseau Express Vélo (REV).

• This will allow for a reallocation of road space to promote efficient and safe travel for all types of users. In 2025, the work will take place between Bernard Avenue and Milton Street, and will include:

• the development of a dedicated bus lane;

• the securing of the existing bike lane by transforming it into a protected and widened path;

• the installation of bollards and concrete curbs as protection; the upgrading of traffic lights;

• the addition of bus stops.

  
  

The transformation is planned between Jean-Talon Street, to the north, and Saint-Antoine Street, in Old Montreal.

A first section of three kilometers, between Bernard Avenue and Milton Street, will be under construction from June 2025 to June 2026, at a cost of $5,200,000.

The two lanes for one-way motor traffic will be maintained, but one of the two lanes will be reserved for buses during morning rush hours.

Line 55, one of the busiest in the area, will thus reach downtown more quickly.