BIDS for construction of Montréal’s Orange line extension to Laval were called last month, following the allocation of C$378·8m by the Québec provincial government. On January 26 Transport Minister Guy Chevrette confirmed that the province would fund 100% of the capital cost, and announced that a request for bids would be issued on February 1. The contract will be awarded on the basis of an engineering, procurement & construction management package.
The minister was joined for the announcement ceremony by Laval Mayor Gilles Vaillancourt, STCUM President Pierre-Yves Melançon, STL President Jean-Jacques Beldié and AMT President & Director General Florence Junca-Adenot. The four-stage project schedule envisages that the winning contractor will be selected in April, and that construction will get under way in October. This would allow revenue service to begin on January 1 2006.
Proposed for over 20 years but repeatedly delayed, the Laval extension will start from the existing Line 2 terminus at Henri-Bourassa. There will be intermediate stations at Cartier and Concorde, with the new Montmorency terminal situated at the intersection of Concorde and Avenir Boulevards. Interchange with AMT’s Blainville commuter service will be provided at Concorde.
Park and ride spaces will be provided at Montmorency (3000) and Cartier (520). AMT expects that the three stations will attract around 50000 additional passengers on an average weekday.
- AMT has added an extra morning peak train on the Blainville line with effect from January 29.
