Montreal, April 20, 2024 – Montreal’s midtown is poised for transformation with the nearing completion of the Royalmount mega-mall complex, a project that has been in the works for nearly a decade. Over the weekend, a crucial component of this $2 billion Phase 1 development—the installation of a 200-meter pedestrian skywalk—was completed, linking the de la Savane Metro station directly to the future site of Royalmount at the intersection of Highways 15 and 40.
Developed by Carbonleo, a prominent real estate company, the skywalk is designed to handle an impressive 20 million visitors per year, promoting the use of green transportation by offering a direct connection to public transit systems. Andrew Lutfy, CEO of Carbonleo, touted the bridge as a “game changer” for the city and the environment.
Despite the optimism of developers, local officials have raised significant concerns regarding the project’s potential traffic impact. Montreal Mayor Valérie Plante and Town of Mount Royal (TMR) Mayor Peter Malouf have both voiced skepticism about the skywalk’s capacity to sufficiently mitigate the daily influx of over 360,000 vehicles. Mayor Malouf emphasized the need for the long-proposed Cavendish Boulevard extension, which would provide a crucial bypass for the congested area, as a more effective solution than the skywalk alone.
In response to these traffic concerns, Carbonleo is also investing approximately $30 million to expand the road network around the site, including dedicated lanes for trucks on Côte-de-Liesse Road heading west onto Highway 40. This is part of a broader effort to alleviate congestion in one of Montreal’s busiest districts.
As the debate over traffic solutions continues, the Royalmount project is pushing ahead, with Phase 1 expected to open to the public by August 15, 2024. This development represents a significant economic boost for Montreal, involving major stakeholders in the commercial and transportation sectors, and is closely watched by city planners and environmental experts alike. The project’s ultimate success in balancing development with sustainable urban transit solutions remains to be seen.
