MTQ’s parking expansion for Ile-aux-Tourtes chaos “won’t work”
By Chelsey St-Pierre
The Suburban
Quebec’s Transport Ministry (MTQ) announced a new mitigation measure related to the Île-aux-Tourtes bridge work causing traffic constraints. An additional 300 temporary parking spaces near the Vaudreuil train station and the central Vaudreuil bus station, funded by the MTQ in collaboration with the City of Vaudreuil-Dorion and the Regional Metropolitain Transport Authority, will be made available as of mid-May until the end of 2024.
The Quebec government has also guaranteed temporary free access to certain public transportation services to help alleviate some of the road congestion caused by the bridge work. The current parking lot is regularly at its maximum capacity. Signage to indicate the location of additional spaces will be put in place.
Comments from road users suggest that the MTQ is playing whack a mole with a blindfold on, covering their eyes to the realities that affect the surrounding community members. With over 40 responses from road users on the new temporary parking lot topic alone in addition to earlier interviews, The Suburban noted a few important points.
Lack of coordination in mitigation measures is by far the most prominent issue that was raised in discussions concerning the temporary parking lot. “They reduced the number of A-40 buses. What will more parking spaces do to help?” Chantal B. said in a response to The Suburban’s request for community reactions in an online discussion group. “We need more trains and synchronicity for buses and buses that run more frequently. Adding more parking space doesn’t help otherwise,” Pascale M. added to the conversation.
One of the common trajectories used by drivers to circumvent the Ile-aux-Tourtes bridge is the Oka-Hudson ferry that runs from mid-April to mid-November. “A gratuity for the Oka-Hudson ferry, with some kind of proof that you have something (to do) other than wander, would be very useful,” Peter A. from Vaudreuil told The Suburban. According to Peter and other commenters, the ferry route does not cut very much of the travel time, but for some it helps to reduce their feelings of stress.
Train users who need to reach the station by car were certainly pleased with the announcement as finding parking has been an issue for many. “It’s a hunt for a spot at certain times, so this would probably help many people,” says Nadine B, a regular user who points out that she and her husband take their two cars to the station regularly as they have different travelling schedules.
Young families that need to travel by car for drop-offs is another challenge that The Suburban noted throughout discussions and interviews with local bridge users. As a result of the ongoing traffic constraints, some families with toddlers have switched to child care services on-Island closer to their work to avoid any potential of late pick-ups, however they need to keep their toddlers in the car with them throughout hours of traffic. “I would have opted for the train before I moved my kid closer to work, but there was no guaranteed spot each day and I can’t risk missing work even if that means listening to Coco Melon in the car for an hour in the car each morning,” Sabrina L. said to The Suburban. “It’s great that they are adding parking, but it’s too late, I already moved my kid to the West Island and I can’t bring her and carry all her things and my things onto the train.” n
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