Major work underway to make Rue Saint-Vallier more ‘user-friendly’
Peter Black, Local Journalism Initiative reporter
peterblack@qctonline.com
Merchants, residents, motorists and pedestrians will have to put up with a major disruption on a section of Rue Saint-Vallier Ouest until December.
Last week, work started on Phase 1 of the project aimed at transforming the busy east- west artery into a refurbished, more user-friendly and greener one-way street. The initial zone, now closed to traffic, is a 200-metre stretch between the intersection of Ave. des Oblats in the east and Rue de Carillon in the west.
The zone includes several restaurants, hair salons, a funeral home and many other businesses and offices. It is also on several major bus routes.
The city said in an Aug. 7 news release it has taken measures to minimize the impact of the closure on merchants and other users of the street. It said access to businesses will be maintained and those affected will be offered financial compensation for losses during the construction period. The maximum for eligible businesses is $30,000 a year. The city says about 20 applications for compensation have been filed already.
In one media report, the operator of the funeral home said it would be difficult to of- fer clients a cortege service for funerals with no street access for vehicles.
As for the impact on public transit, the city advises users to make themselves aware of the detours required for certain routes. The city says it will continue to work with the Réseau de Transport de la Capitale (RTC) to “optimize public transit service in the neighbourhood,” and that “a new consultation process is planned on the subject.”
The project, which the city describes as one of most extensive street revitalizations ever undertaken, is the result of consultations on the future development of the Saint-Sauveur district dating back to 2016.
The third of the three phases will be completed in 2026 and ultimately will transform Rue Saint-Vallier from Boul. Charest in the east to Rue Marie-de-l’Incarnation in the west, a distance of two kilometres.
In the release, the city said, “An innovative approach is being put forward to make this axis a more user-friendly artery that will promote safety and quality of life in the Saint-Sauveur district. Neighbourhood life, greening and commercial dynamism will be at the heart of these transformations.”
In a video about the project on the city’s website, Rue Saint-Vallier is described as one of the city’s most historic streets and the main artery through the Saint-Sacrement district. Named for the second bishop of Quebec, it was initially the road connecting Quebec City with Wendake, then known as Village-des-Hurons.