Construction of the Michel-Ange auxiliary building
- 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 operational infrastructure required to operate the métro.
Start of work: Preparatory work started on April 28, and excavation phase began in mid-May 2025.
Description of the work: New building construction.
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Public information session - Michel-Ange auxiliary building
On April 24 and 25, 2025, information sessions were held to allow residents of the Michel-Ange Park area to learn more about the construction of the new Michel-Ange auxiliary building.
Consult the presentation and see the video (in French only)
Information booth
At Le Boulevard Shopping Centre
Impact on customer trips
No impact on customer trips.
Impact on local residents
In spring 2025, construction of a new auxiliary building began in Michel-Ange Park. The construction zone needed to complete this work is taking up the park’s entire surface area. In order to complete the various stages of the project, the work will be spread out over several years.
Before the start of the construction work, various punctual activities needed to be completed in Michel-Ange Park.
This includes removing some trees, that were cut down in late March, to clear space for the construction site. This had to be done before the start of spring, when birds begin building their nests.
Our team of forest engineers, landscape architects, urban planners, and sustainable development expert carefully planned these interventions to preserve as much vegetation as possible.
Ultimately, Blue line project sites will be revegetated and several hundred new trees planted, for a stronger, healthier canopy.
In Michel-Ange Park, a new tree will be planted for every one that is removed. The park will also be completely redeveloped by the end of the work.
Between April 28 and mid-may 2025, preparatory work was completed. During this period :
Pedestrian traffic
- The sidewalks running along Michel-Ange Park have been closed on 17th Avenue and Michel‑Ange Street.
- Pedestrians were able to use the sidewalk on the other side of the street.
Car traffic
- Michel-Ange Street was closed to traffic between 16th Avenue and 17th Avenue.
- On 17th Avenue, one lane remained open in each direction along Michel‑Ange Park.
May 2025 - Evening and nightime pavement marking
In order to allow for the implementation of new traffic configurations in the area of the Michel-Ange auxiliary building site, paint was applied to the pavement. This work was carried out on a few occasions in May 2025.
To avoid disrupting road traffic, theses interventions were done in the evening and at night. It is possible that noise from the specialized trucks used for this work have been perceptible during the road marking activities.
After the preparatory work, the excavation phase has started. This next stage of the work involves modifications to traffic in the area. This new configuration will remain in effect for the duration of the work, which will take several years.
Pedestrian traffic
- The sidewalks running along Michel-Ange Park are closed on 17th Avenue and Michel‑Ange Street.
- Pedestrians can use the sidewalk on the other side of the street.
- A universally accessible pedestrian crossing has been set up on the south side of the intersection at Michel‑Ange and 17th.
Car traffic
- Michel-Ange Street has become one-way southbound, between 16th and 17th Avenues.
- On 17th Avenue, one lane remains open in each direction.
Changes to street parking
Some parking spots on Michel-Ange Street and 17th Avenue has been removed to allow for construction of the Michel-Ange auxiliary building. Permit parking spots in the area were also relocated.
Since April 28, street parking is modified in the 17th Avenue/Michel-Ange Street area. These changes were needed to set up the worksite while keeping traffic lanes open on those two streets.
What’s changing
17th Avenue
Parking is prohibited at all times along most of the stretch between Jean-Talon and Everett, except in designated sections for permit holders.
Michel-Ange
Parking is prohibited at all times on both sides of the street between 16th and 17th Avenue.
Relocated permit parking
While some permit parking spots are removed, most is relocated and remain available. The Zone 51 permit parking located on 17th Avenue between Jean-Talon and Everett is moved to the west side of the avenue.
These changes will remain in place throughout construction of the Michel-Ange auxiliary building, which is expected to take several years.
For more information about street and permit parking, visit the City of Montréal website.
Good to know
- Access to businesses and residences will be maintained at all times.
- Signage will be posted to direct pedestrians, cyclists and drivers.
- Worksite trucks will take 17th Avenue, Jean‑Talon Street and Saint-Michel Boulevard.
- Appropriate mitigation measures will be put in place to reduce the impact on local residents, including noise walls around the worksite perimeter.
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Join your local good neighbour committee!
Do you live near the future Michel-Ange auxiliary building area and want to have your say in how the Blue line project worksite will fit into your neighbourhood this spring?
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
let's chat
Public participation
Information sessions, talks, activities, good neighbour committees: our team wants to meet you!
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.
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.
An auxiliary building is a service building, closed to the public and located between two métro stations, that houses a variety of mechanical and electrical equipment needed for métro operations. This includes ventilation equipment, power supply infrastructure and pumps to remove runoff water. There are currently hundreds of these buildings in the métro network.
More about the Blue line project
Contenu de l'onglet 5
The project in images
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).