Construction of the Viau station
Change in worksite configuration
Over the past few months, we have been working to reorganize pedestrian routes and traffic lanes around the construction site. Some work is continuing on the north sidewalk of rue Jean-Talon until the end of March. Once completed, we will put in place noise walls around the entire worksite perimeter and this configuration will remain in place for several years.
- Construction site summary
- Impact on customer trips
- Impact on local residents
- Learn more about the project
- Onglet 5
Construction site summary
As part of the Blue line project, this worksite involves building a new accessible métro station with one entrance building. The entire extension is expected to be commissioned in 2031.
Please note that the station name is a placeholder.
Good to know :
- Access to homes and businesses will be maintained at all times.
- Signage will be posted to direct pedestrians, cyclists and drivers.
- Worksite trucks will circulate on Viau, Jean-Talon and Provencher.
- Specific mitigation measures will be put in place to reduce the negative impact on local residents, including the use of noise walls around the worksite perimeter.
parlons·en
Public information session - Viau sector
An information session was held on September 18, 2024, to inform residents about the start of work to build the new métro station in the Viau area and the resulting full closure of Jean-Talon Street.
Consult the presentation (French only)
Impact on customer trips
Due to Jean-Talon street closure, bus stops for lines 141, 188 and 372 are relocated to Bélanger Street. A reserved lane has been set up on Bélanger to keep buses running more regularly.
Impact on local residents
Viau area – Start of work and street closures
This fall, work for the Blue line project will begin in the area of the future Viau station. In the coming weeks, the contractor will set up universally accessible walkways around the site to improve pedestrian safety. Since October 28, 2024, Jean-Talon street is completely closed to traffic, between de Cannes and Viau boulevard to allow mass excavation work to take place.
Impact for pedestrians
- The north sidewalk is currently blocked by the worksite. Until the permanent worksite configuration is in place, only the south sidewalk on Jean-Talon Street remains open to allow east-west foot traffic.
- A new secure pedestrian walkway will be set up south of the worksite on Baunard Street to provide access to Viau Boulevard.
- Flaggers will be present at worksite entrances and exits for pedestrian safety.
- Stay alert, only cross the street at traffic lights and crosswalks, and follow all instructions from the worksite crews.
Impact on traffic
- Roads will remain open to local traffic between the worksites on Jean-Talon.
- Jean-Talon is fully closed between Viau and De Cannes.
- De Cannes is now a one-way street heading south between Jean-Talon and Baunard.
- Baunard will become a one-way street heading south to make room for additional parking spaces.
- Terbois will become a dead end and be set up for two-way traffic. For this, some parking spaces will need to be removed.
Microblasting excavation work
We will begin controlled microblasting excavation in the coming months at the future Viau station site. More information will be available a few weeks before the start of microblasting activities.
To learn more about this excavation method, consult the Frequently asked questions (FAQ) section on the Blue line project page.
Join your local good neighbour committee!
Do you live near the future Viau station or de Lisieux auxiliary building and want to have your say in how the Viau worksite will fit into your neighbourhood this fall?
A good neighbour committee will be set up in the coming weeks as a space for dialogue between the STM and the local community. We’re currently looking for people who live in the area to join the committee and represent local residents at a few meetings per year.
The committee’s purpose is to:
- Provide information and outline the different phases of the project.
- Start a dialogue between residents and project representatives that will continue throughout the work.
- Discuss how the impact of the work will be managed so that resident members can share this information with their local community.
- Understand the concerns residents have about the work and find solutions together.
- Allow local residents to make suggestions on specific topics chosen by the project office.
Write to us to apply or to find out more.
Learn more about the project
In the coming months, we’ll be starting excavation work to make way for new infrastructure for the Blue line project.
The excavation method will vary depending on the type of work being done. The surface excavation work will involve controlled microblasting, whereas most of the excavation for the underground tunnel will be done using a tunnel boring machine, or TBM. At both types of worksites, there will also be some mechanical excavation. The vibrations produced by the different excavation methods will be measured on an ongoing basis using seismographs. These devices will be installed at various points throughout the excavation zones and will be used to continuously monitor the vibration levels and make sure they fall within legal limits.
Essential preventive measures
To prepare for upcoming excavation work, the STM has tasked ABS with inspecting buildings that meet at least one of the following criteria:
- Located within 75 metres of any surface-level excavation work
- Located within 30 metres of the tunnel axis
The inspections will serve to compile an inventory of the structures surrounding the worksites for the Blue line project. The findings of the inspections will also be used to establish the maximum vibration levels for each site. Although these inspections are a precautionary measure, they are essential in the unlikely event that the work causes any damage.
As a further precaution, any building within 100 metres of a worksite where there will be microblasting will receive a carbon monoxide detector a few weeks before the excavation work starts.
Each building inspection lasts approximately 15 to 30 minutes. Photos are taken of the building interior and exterior. The photos are mostly close-ups of the foundations, walls, ceilings, and floors and serve to document the building’s condition prior to the start of the excavation work.
The pre-construction inspection is a common precautionary measure for major construction sites. It protects you in the unlikely event that your property suffers any damage during work on the Blue line project.
Controlled microblasting is used on several major STM worksites, depending on the type of rock to be excavated. To learn more, watch the video in the FAQ section of our Blue line project page.
In the fall of 2024 and 2025, urban forestry work will take place around the Blue line project worksites. Trees that interfere with the construction sites will be protected, replanted, or cut down. Our team of forest engineers, landscape architects, urban planners, and sustainable development experts has carefully planned these interventions to preserve as many trees as possible.
The goal is to replant the trees wherever possible. Soverdi, the not-for-profit organization overseeing the replanting process, will monitor and care for the trees after they are transplanted to ensure their survival. Trees that can’t be replanted due to their size or condition will be recycled into wood chips, firewood or compost depending on the quality of the wood. The health and species of the trees will also help determine which ones need to be cut down, based on whether they are diseased, subject to borer infestations, or invasive, among other factors.
Ultimately, Blue line project sites will be revegetated and several hundred new trees planted, for a stronger, healthier canopy. For every tree replanted or cut down, we will plant more than two in their place.
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These organizations are collaborating on the project’s phasing strategy so that all the work lines up to keep local travel running smoothly and ensure good management of their investments. During the excavation, the City of Montréal and other stakeholders will take the opportunity to upgrade underground infrastructure.
The preparatory work involved relocating urban public utilities, giving us free rein to begin the massive excavation that will be needed to build the new métro station. The utilities that needed to be relocated include water pipes, sewers, and underground conduits and cabling.
We are finalizing the overall project schedule based on multiple factors. We will keep you informed as the project progresses and let you know when the work will begin.
Projects like the Viau area preparatory work need to be planned months in advance. Together, our experienced technicians, engineers and project managers pool their knowledge of a variety of disciplines, including civil engineering, structure, electricity, building mechanics, geotechnics, traffic maintenance and sustainable development.
Our design, project management and follow-up teams are putting their expertise to good use in the east end of the city, and all this is just the beginning!
let's chat
Public participation
Information sessions, talks, activities, good neighbour committees: our team wants to meet you!
Information booth
At Le Boulevard Shopping Centre
More about the Blue line project
Contenu de l'onglet 5
The project in images
Site of the future Viau station (working name) at the corner of Jean-Talon and Viau Boulevard
The old building at the Viau site was demolished in winter 2023
The Blue line project follows in the wake of the Déclaration du gouvernement du Québec et de la Ville de Montréal to revitalize Montréal East. Many projects are underway to give a new impetus to this sector. Increased mobility, economic development, and improved living environments are at the heart of this ambitious project. For more information, see Québec.ca/RevitalisationEstMontreal (in French only).