STM puts in place new measures to make it easier to move its buses

“In addition to making the bus network more attractive to customers, bus priority measures reduce operating costs. Their impact on improving punctuality and reducing travel time results in savings,” said Aref Salem, Chairman of the STM Board of Directors.

Every year, the STM works with the City of Montreal boroughs and related cities to identify sections where bus priority measures have the best gain potential and favourable siting conditions.

Upcoming work in 2026

• Boulevard des Trinitaires

At the request of the South-West Borough, which wishes to make the bicycle path available at all times, and in line with STM’s desire to prioritize buses on this corridor, the section of the reserved lane between Avenue Lamont and Boulevard de La Vérendrye will now be in operation 24/7. This change in schedule will increase the number of daily trips that benefit from this reserved bus, taxi and bicycle lane to 17,500. Road marking work is scheduled to begin in June with commissioning planned for the summer.

• Rue D’Iberville

In collaboration with the Ville-Marie Borough, a new reserved bus and taxi lane will be created on Rue d’Iberville, southbound, between Rue Hochelaga and Rue Ontario. It will be in effect Monday to Friday from 6:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. and from 2:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Given the proximity of the Frontenac transportation centre and the permanent detour of lines 85 and 185 on this corridor, this measure will benefit more than 3,000 daily trips. Marking and signage work is scheduled in July.

• Rue Notre-Dame Est

With the approval of the Mercier–Hochelaga-Maisonneuve Borough, four sections of the reserved bus lane will be created on Rue Notre-Dame Est, westbound only, between Rue Sainte-Catherine Est and Rue Alphonse-D.-Roy. They will be in the curb lanes in the middle of the road so that there will be no impact on traffic or parking. Work on this corridor will ensure that line 410 and 430 buses that use this highly congested area travel more smoothly. Road marking work is scheduled to begin in June and commissioning in July.

A new reserved lane already in operation in the City of Pointe-Claire

Following the opening of the REM Anse-à-l’Orme branch, the STM, in collaboration with the City of Pointe-Claire, opened a new reserved bus lane on May 21 on Avenue Fairview northbound, between Rue A (Fairview–Pointe-Claire bus terminal street) and Boulevard Brunswick.

A southbound reserved lane was created as part of the REM project. It has been in service since May for buses and cyclists.

This new measure ensures the smooth travel of the 16 bus lines that run on the section concerned since the opening of the REM Fairview–Pointe-Claire station and the nearby bus terminal. There are 30,000 daily trips that benefit from this reserved lane that is in effect at all times.

Installation of priority traffic lights continues

STM is working with Montréal’s Service de l’urbanisme et de la mobilité (SUM) to identify areas where installing priority traffic lights has the potential to bring the most gains in terms of bus performance.

As of December 31, 2025, more than 2,100 priority traffic lights have been installed at over 1,000 intersections on the Island of Montreal. Nearly 90% of these lights are Transit Signal Priority (TSP), which are intelligent lights that automatically adjust to favour buses.

In 2026, the STM and the SUM targeted some 40 hubs along four corridors: Rue Grenet, Boulevard de l’Acadie, Boulevard Rosemont and Rue Viau. Hubs along other corridors could be identified at a later date. The implementation is being done gradually throughout the year. 

About bus priority measures

Bus priority measures (BPMs) consist of road network features that give priority to public transit, thereby improving service speed and timeliness. BPMs, which include reserved lanes and priority traffic lights for buses, result in considerably shorter travel times.

To learn more about the reserved lane network.