West Islanders to have say in bus network redesign

West Islanders will finally get a chance to weigh in on changes they'd like to see to Montreal's bus network.

The public is invited to sign up for public consultations held by the Société de transport de Montréal (STM), which is planning to redesign the city's sprawling bus network in anticipation of the future Réseau express métropolitain (REM).

The REM light-rail system will feature 26 stations across the Greater Montreal area, linking downtown Montreal with the suburbs. It includes stations in the West Island and Trudeau International Airport. The REM'S West Island line is scheduled to go into operation in 2024, as is the Deux-montagnes branch, which has two local stations: Pierrefonds-roxboro and Sunnybrooke.

Dollard-des-ormeaux Mayor Alex Bottausci is encouraging West Islanders to participate in the consultation process, which will lay the foundation for future public transport in the area.

“The STM is using these consultations to find out what the community needs and wants in relation to the future REM stations,” said Bottausci, who also sits on the board of the STM.

With minimal or no public parking set aside for motorists at some West Island REM stations, ferrying commuters to a station by bus will be a key challenge for the STM. The park-and-ride option at the Fairview Pointe-claire and Kirkland stations still remains undetermined, while a combined 700 parking spots (approximately) will be available at des Sources station in Pointe-claire and L'anseà-l'orme in Ste-anne-de-bellevue, according to REM officials.

Bottausci said the lack of station parking means bus service is crucial to the REM'S success. “If you don't provide a ( bus) connection, no one has a way to get to it,” he said. “Then it won't be used, right?”

“Nobody's excited just yet (about the REM) because we're still in that exploratory phase as a community. The STM'S role is connecting people to the REM stations.”

Bottausci said current bus service in many parts of the West Island leaves residents wanting.

“The STM has not been able to provide ... a proper means of transportation. As much as they've tried, they've been unable to. The West Island is vast. The territory is quite vast and if we get into every little nook and cranny, good luck to you. Your overhead costs are going to be massive.”

Bottausci said the REM will finally provide a rapid light-rail link to downtown Montreal, the airport, and other parts of the Greater Montreal area.

“Finally, we'll have this amazing link with the REM as a point of distribution,” he said. “But how do we get to the little nook or cranny, how do we facilitate the transfer from all these little areas to the REM? That's the next step.”

The STM said public consultations are being held with a number of new public transportation projects in Montreal in mind.

“In the coming months, a number of major public transit projects will be commissioned, including the REM, the PIE-IX BRT, and in a few years, the Blue line extension,” the STM stated on its website. “Deployment of these projects, your mobility needs, and urban development will have an impact on how you use bus service. Now is therefore the ideal time to rethink the bus network together to make it even more attractive and better adapted to changes.”

People must register online for the public consultations. For more information, visit stm.info.

Here is a list of consultation dates for West Island cities and boroughs:

■ Baie-d'urfé, Ste-anne-de-bellevue and Senneville residents will be consulted Oct. 13 at 6:30 p.m.

■ Dollard-des-ormeaux, Pierrefonds-roxboro and Île-bizard-ste-geneviève residents will be consulted Oct. 20 at 6:30 p.m.

■ Pointe-claire, Kirkland and Beaconsfield residents will be consulted Oct. 27 at 6:30 p.m.

Citizens can also participate online through the STM'S Let's chat platform until Nov. 13.