As the City Councillor for Val-des-Arbres since 2013, I have been working relentlessly towards this project,the start of the Val-des-Brises Overpass construction!

The contract of 25 million dollars was awarded at the City Council meeting last June and the first shovel of earth took place in early August, as I am sure the citizens of the district have witnessed while circulating on the 440 East. It is therefore my pleasure to write to you today about one of the biggest infrastructural construction projects to happen in Val-des-Brises.

A Key Project to the Development of the District
As there is considerable circulation between the north and south side of the district and the city, this overpass will improve mobility for citizens. The quality of life for residents of the entire surrounding area will be improved, with a considerable reduction of traffic passing through local circulation.

This had been an issue throughout the development of the area, as it was imperative to use an east-west detour to access businesses and recreational areas south of the 440. This resulted in more cars circulating on the smaller roads of Val-des-Brises, in turn adding noise pollution and congestion. The access that will be put in place after two years of construction, under the supervision of the Ministère des Transports, will positively affect commuting.

A Transit Infrastructure for the Future
As the project was subject to public consultation, the viability of the infrastructure has been developed hand-in-hand with the idea of responding to citizens’ needs, not only for car users, but also with the idea of providing alternative means of transportation.

Many residents will be delighted with the cycling and pedestrian facilities included in the project, which will be added to Laval’s growing active mobility network. The overpass, which includes two lanes in each direction, incorporates a concrete elevated biking path and a pedestrian lane on each side.

To reflect the added need for connection between the two sides of the Val-des-Brises Overpass, the surrounding street layouts templates were also re-imagined so that eventually, boulevard Robert-Bourassa will join rue Gaumont via the new boulevard Michel-Ange.

This reflects the commitment of the City of Laval to its active mobility goals, with its goal to have 450 km of biking lanes on the island before 2031. Eventually, the idea will be to adapt this development to link the district with points of interests like the Bois Papineau or even the Centre de la Nature.

We can confidently say the countdown really has begun. Laval is marching towards its strategic vision, Urban by Nature.