PIE-IX BRT

You can board from the shelters located in the centre of the road. The buses stop at the shelters in the centre of the street, except in the Jean-Talon area between Bélair and Everett, where buses will continue to make curbside stops on Pie-IX for a few weeks.

Please note that boarding through all doors is permitted on 439 Pie-IX buses.

Buses of this line take three different routes :

• Between Notre-Dame / Pie-IX and Lacordaire / Henri-Bourassa
  • Monday to Friday, all day
  • Saturday and Sunday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
• Between Pierre-De Coubertin / Pie-IX and Carrefour Henri-Bourassa / Pie-IX
  • Monday to Friday, all day
  • Saturday and Sunday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
• Between Pierre-De Coubertin / Pie-IX and Saint-Martin park-and-ride lot
  • Monday to Friday, southbound during morning rush hour
  • Monday to Friday, northbound during afternoon rush hour
  • Saturday and Sunday, no service

Bus stops are located on the curbside, along Pie-IX Boulevard.

Bus stops are located on Jean-Talon. However, buses will be diverted again in 2024, when work begins for the blue line extension project.

The following lines also run in the BRT:

• STL : 52 and 252. More information: stlaval.ca
• exo : 25 and 25B. More information: exo.quebec

For help with trip planning and departure times, we recommend Chrono app.

You need an All Modes A fare.

You need an All Modes AB fare to transfer to the métro or train.

If you are only taking the bus, you can use a bus fare.

You need an All Modes ABC or ABCD fare to transfer to the métro or train.

If you are only taking the bus, you can use a bus fare.

In 2023, buses will continue to run on Pie-IX Boulevard. However, some stops may be moved as needed. Notices will be sent to local residents where appropriate, and information will be available on our website.

Access to sidewalks or a pedestrian corridor will be maintained at all times on Pie-IX Boulevard.

Access to businesses and residences will be maintained at all times.

The width of the Pie-IX Boulevard right-of-way makes it impossible to add a bike lane while maintaining reserved lanes, four traffic lanes and widened sidewalks. However, bike racks will be installed near the BRT shelters. 

A two-way bike path will also be built on Bourbonnière Street by the Mercier-Hochelaga-Maisonneuve borough.

Traffic will be maintained in both directions throughout the work. Notices will be sent to residents to inform them of upcoming closures.

Traffic lanes will be narrowed in both directions between Sainte-Catherine and De Rouen Streets.

Some parking spaces located near work areas on Pie-IX Boulevard will be inaccessible between September 2023 and February 2024. All parking spaces on Pie-IX Boulevard will be removed starting in February 2024.

Some spaces for city parking permit holders will be relocated. If you have a parking permit for Pie-IX Boulevard, please contact the Mercier-Hochelaga-Maisonneuve borough for more information.

Depending on the progress of the work, temporary road blocks may be put in place occasionally around Pie-IX Boulevard.

Follow all posted signage!

Other notices are only available in French. Consult srbpieix.ca to read them.

Buses on the Pie-IX BRT will travel in the same direction as the traffic, at all times exclusively on a dedicated lane, generally in the middle of the boulevard. 

A number of protection measures have been integrated to ensure the safety of transit users and pedestrians, including the following: 

• Reduced speed of traffic thanks to narrower lanes 
• Elimination of all left turns unprotected by traffic lights 

Around the shelters, a variety of protection measures will be deployed:

• BRT shelters are surrounded by short concrete walls with guardrails to protect transit users. 
• Fencing installed across from the shelters will prevent people from crossing the road other than at intersections. 
• At intersections with BRT stops, pedestrian crossing lights with digital and audio countdown and a call button have been installed at curbside and on the median at the shelter crossing, to help pedestrians cross. 
• Emergency help stations have been installed in all shelters to maximize customer safety. 
• Pedestrian crossings have been widened. 
• The reserved lane is a different colour, to avoid confusion for car drivers. 
• Although the BRT will not be in operation from 1:00 a.m. to 5:00 a.m., the reserved lanes will remain closed to other vehicles.

Yes. The BRT shelters are marked with strips of tactile paving in contrasting colours and slightly raised from street level by about 13 mm, making them easy to locate. Pedestrian crossing lights with digital and audio countdown and a call button have also been installed to help users cross Pie-IX Boulevard safely. Each stop also includes a wheelchair boarding area.

About the artwork

“Presented in pairs, the pieces appear as geometric variations inspired by the diamond emblem of the Pie-IX BRT project. […] The forms evoke both the sinuous twisting of a road and the constant movement that characterizes the comings and goings of public transit.” 

“As a symbolic reflection of the multiculturalism of public transit users, KYRIELLE seeks to honour the hybrid identities of Montréal and Laval and to revive a sense of pride, belonging and citizenship. The project is not only a vivid way to promote the new face of the Pie-IX BRT but also a chance to truly highlight the cultural diversity that drives both cities, while presenting a joyful, unifying vision of the street.” 

More information about the artist

Various electrification scenarios were analysed, first by the AMT in 2011 and then by the STM in 2013 and 2014.

Further to these studies, the scenario of an electric bus (or trolleybus) was not retained by the AMT, the City of Montréal or the STM, essentially due to very high costs, the impact of poles and overhead cables, and conflicts between the underground bases needed to support the power supply and municipal underground systems. The bases supporting the poles required for electrification are much larger than normal street light bases. In addition, there would be conflicts between these much larger bases and the roots of the numerous mature trees along the boulevard, the potable water main in the middle of the boulevard and certain sections of the sewer that have been retrofitted by the City of Montréal since 2011 in preparation for the Pie-IX BRT.

The City of Montréal and the ARTM have agreed to take advantage of implementation of the Pie-IX BRT to carry out municipal infrastructure work (roadwork and underground systems) that is needed due to the end of the systems’ useful lives and asset capacity limits.

Integration of municipal infrastructure work into the Pie-IX project has the following advantages:

• Reduction of both partners’ costs by combining certain worksite expenses
• Minimization of inconvenience for residents and users by carrying out all the work at the same time.

This area took longer because both BRT shelters will include an elevator and a staircase to a pedestrian tunnel connecting the shelter to a future métro station on the Blue line extension. Building this infrastructure required more work than for the other BRT shelters. This work was done below street level, in coordination with the Blue line extension project office.

Integrating this tunnel into the Pie-IX BRT will allow us to work on the Blue line extension with minimal disruptions to traffic on Pie-IX.

Yes. Over the next few weeks, glass windows will be installed in the bus shelter at the corner of Pie-IX and Jean-Talon. The shelters will be opened once the installation is complete. In the meantime, line 439 will stop at the curb on Pie-IX, between Jean-Talon and Everett.

Later on, more glass panels will be installed on the métro side (the section leading to the pedestrian tunnel to the future Blue line extension station). The impact of this work has yet to be determined.

After that, a major worksite will be set up in the area to start on the Blue line extension. This work will not affect the routes of bus lines 139, 439 and 355.

Lines 139, 439 and 355 will remain on Pie-IX, between Laval and Pierre-De Coubertin. In winter 2024, detours will be implemented south of Pierre-De Coubertin due to work on the extension to Notre-Dame.

Lines 41, 141, 188 and 372 will again be diverted in the Jean-Talon area when work begins on the Blue line extension.

This is the area above the tunnel, staircase and elevator to the future Blue line extension station. This infrastructure is not open to the public because it doesn’t go anywhere—the station hasn’t even been built yet! This section of the BRT shelter will be opened when the new Blue line station opens.

We plan to install triple butterfly doors, one of which will be motorized, at the entrance to this section of the shelter.

We could not install the same art seen in the other BRT shelters at the Jean-Talon intersection because the shelters only have roofs over their waiting areas. This architectural choice was made to facilitate bus traffic. However, it meant that we could not install wall panels on these shelters. We are still looking into how best to integrate art into the shelters at this intersection.

Since Pie-IX Boulevard is an essential artery for the Montréal economy, a full street closure was out of the question. As a result, the project is being implemented in phases to minimize the impact, with different sections closing for different phases (preparatory, east, west and centre).

The Notre-Dame Street extension also involves more extensive and complex development and infrastructure work, especially underground, than the previous projects.

Public transit:

• Installation of 1.6 kilometres of permanent, two-way reserved lanes in the middle of Pie-IX Boulevard between Pierre-de Coubertin Avenue and Notre-Dame Street
• Construction of four stops with seven BRT shelters (including one set-down only stop)
• Installation of smart transportation systems in the BRT shelters (animated displays, cameras, etc.) and in the lanes themselves (priority measures at traffic lights and animated traffic display)

Municipal infrastructure:

• Restoration and construction of sewers, water mains and urban public utilities
• Reconstruction of the entire road system (foundation, road, sidewalks and median)

Street design:

• Widening of sidewalks and addition of trees to improve local residents’ walking conditions and quality of life

We will maintain accessible detour routes. We will also have crossing guards stationed at more problematic intersections to help pedestrians cross Pie-IX Boulevard.

Excavation near trees, no matter how shallow (a few tens of centimetres), is likely to have a major impact on their physiological survival, as well as on their short- and long-term stability.

In an effort to preserve as many healthy mature trees as possible, an analysis was conducted to determine what needed to be done with the existing vegetation, with the support of an urban forestry firm and in collaboration with the borough. We have also put the necessary effort and time (+ 1 year) before starting our work in order to carry out additional studies and find the best possible solutions.

The solution we found - to shift the boulevard slightly to the east - enabled us to reduce the number of trees to be cut from 144 to 107, or 25% less than originally planned. As a result, we managed to preserve 48% of the trees on Pie-IX.

Of these, note that about 10% had already been identified to be cut and the majority (approx. 60%) of the trees have no to medium conservation value, considering the excavation work that needs to be done near them.

Due to the size of the trees, they cannot be transplanted. The felled trees will be recycled by an organization specializing in the repurposing of urban wood.

Currently, most trees on Pie-IX are elms and maples. The project will plant around 12 different species, that were chosen to diversify the canopy.

The species were chosen for :

• Speed of growth
• Variety (to counter the effects of disease)
• Ability to absorb water (on drainage pits)
• Minimize impact on underground infrastructures and ensure better survival during future works

The new landscaping also offers a number of advantages:

• Most of the new trees will be planted along the edge of the street, particularly on the east side, making pedestrian safer.
• Trees along the roadside and in the middle of the road will help reduce heat islands.
• Drainage pits are added for better water retention.
• More than 2,300 plants will also be planted along Pie-IX.
• 10 greened sidewalk projections
• Street furniture: 15 benches, 18 litter garbage cans and 30 bike racks

At the end of the project, the canopy will have been bonified, as will the mobility experience of both pedestrians and public transit users, who will benefit greatly from the project.

Last year, we met with the two elementary schools, along with other institutions and businesses, to gain a full understanding of their needs and incorporate them into our plans. Most of the work will be carried out during the summer to minimize the impact on school operations.

The plan is to keep the drop-off areas where they are as long as possible, then move them to the street next to the school. Staff will also be on hand to guide the children safely to the new drop-off location.

Yes, emergency vehicle corridors will be in place during the work. We have also met with establishments in the area that receive large numbers of vehicles, such as ambulances, and plan to provide loading areas where needed.

Pie-IX remains an official truck route. An alternative route will also be set up to reduce through traffic there and divert vehicles to other major roads.

If we observe trucks repeatedly detouring onto local streets, we will take steps to correct the situation (this may involve added signage, police presence, etc.).

Drivers may prefer to use residential streets rather than Pie-IX during the work. We will monitor the situation closely and take the necessary steps to keep the neighbourhood safe and reduce through traffic on local streets as much as possible.

Bus service is adjusted according to demand and ridership. As soon as the BRT went into service in November 2022, service was improved by 15% south of Pierre-De Coubertin. A further service upgrade is scheduled for January 2024.

Bourbonnière provides a direct route north and does not require any additional changes of direction or turns. It offers a compromise between walking distance and route efficiency.

Jeanne-D’Arc is the first street that goes south, so we chose it to minimize travel time for transit users.

The project office is currently repaving Bourbonnière in preparation for the bus detour in 2024. This will reduce the number of potholes and other imperfections in the pavement, limiting the disturbance caused by the bus traffic.

Waste collection: Schedules will be maintained. When your collection area is blocked, your waste will be removed by the contractor, who will be responsible for taking it to a drop-off point.

Moving, deliveries and emergency work: Please contact STM customer service. We will work to find a solution that meets your needs.

Snow removal: Snow removal on roads under construction will be managed by the contractor, and the borough will remain responsible for unobstructed areas, including sidewalks. When driveways are accessible—which will be most of the time—residents can clear them of snow as usual.