13 August 2010

Montreal Residents Want Rail Crossing Fast-Tracked

Adreanne Clermont cuts through the fence gap after crossing the CP railway tracks near St. Laurent Blvd. and Cloutier St. Thursday.

Montreal Quebec - Despite hefty fines and warnings from Canadian Pacific Railway, Mile End and Rosemont residents are taking matters, and pliers, into their own hands as they wait for the city, the two boroughs, and the railway to decide on building a pedestrian level crossing on the railroad tracks separating the two neighbourhoods.
 
Instead of using the Rosemont viaduct, or an underpass along St. Denis St., or Christophe Colomb Ave., an estimated 200 to 300 pedestrians and cyclists each day sneak through holes cut into the fences that run along the railroad to cross the tracks.
 
When a hole is patched up by the railway company, a new one mysteriously appears nearby a few days later.
 
"(Within) a week, some-one's taken matters into their own pliers," said Mark, who spoke on the condition that his last name not be used, as he was walking his bike over the tracks to get onto the bicycle path near Clark St.
 
He said he's never had to wait very long for a new hole to be cut if another one is closed, even though he said he has no idea who makes them.
 
Along the stretch of tracks between Park and Christophe Colomb Aves., some gaps in the chain-link are neatly clipped, while some others are created by peeling back sections of the fence. Some holes are hidden behind trees or bushes, while others are in plain view.
 
A bilingual Facebook group "Ways to Cross the Train Tracks", with more than 800 members, lets users share information about openings in the fences. It even provides an interactive Google map that can be updated as openings are made or closed.
 
"From a legal point of view, we don't recommend people (trespass) because it's risky. They can get hurt, but at the same time, if these improvised passages exist then it means there's a need (that has been) expressed over years by residents," said Francois Croteau, the mayor of Rosemont-La Petite Patrie.
 
At least 650 people signed a petition launched in mid-June demanding level crossings, and asking CPR to stop ticketing trespassers and to decriminalize crossing over the tracks.
 
Trespassers face fines of close to $150 if they're caught by CPR security guards. In the first half of 2010, more than 120 people were fined or warned for trespassing.
 
For years, the city and the two boroughs have discussed building some kind of crossing for pedestrians along the stretch of railway to make it easier to access Rosemont metro station and move from one neighbourhood to the other without taking a long detour under or over the tracks.
 
Years ago, the city was considering a pedestrian bridge, said Richard Ryan, councillor for Plateau-Mont Royal. A level crossing, which would involve filling in a section of the tracks to make it flat, is cheaper and takes up less room, Ryan said.
 
The directors of both boroughs as well as the director of the city of Montreal approached CPR with a formal request to negotiate this past May, Croteau said. "I have no idea how long it will take, but at least (starting the negotiations) is positive," he said. Croteau said he expects to have an update on the talks in the fall.
 
Ryan said the ideal spot for a level crossing would be at Henri Julien Ave., where many pedestrians pass through to get to Rosemont metro station and the businesses in Mile End.
 
The best solution would be to have multiple crossings, he said, but for now, the boroughs, the city, and CPR will try to negotiate for one, he said.
 
People who regularly cross the tracks illegally said it wastes time and it's unpleasant to use the viaduct or the underpasses, even if they are safer.
 
"I much prefer going over the tracks," said James Galwey, who lives just south of the train tracks, near Bernard St. W. and Esplanade Ave. Accessing the designated underpasses can be dangerous sometimes, he said, because there are blind corners and motorists can't spot the bikes.
 
The underpasses are damp and smelly, too, he said. Instead, the railway tracks are in the open and surrounded by trees and greenery.
 
However, just because people routinely cut holes in the fences and cross the tracks in the same area does not mean a pedestrian crossing would be safe there, said Breanne Feigel, a spokesperson for CPR.
 
Any solution would have to respect Transport Canada's Rail Safety Act, she said, and carefully weigh the needs of the community against the risk of having pedestrians near a busy train corridor.
 
"This is why, often, pedestrian overpasses are recommended instead of ground level crossings," Feigel said.
 
Mark said he doesn't think it's dangerous to cross the train tracks, even though cargo trains still run along them, because they move slowly and don't come frequently.
 
Statistics on the number of deaths or accidents along this stretch of railway were not available, however, Feigel said seven people were killed and three were seriously injured in Quebec last year while trespassing on railway property.
 
Level crossings on railway tracks are more common in the suburbs outside Montreal, Ryan said, but there are a handful in the city, including one in St. Henri that crosses Canadian National Railway tracks, and one near Jarry Park on CPR property.
 
As the neighbourhood around Rosemont metro develops, Croteau said, the need for safe crossings for pedestrians and bikes will continue to grow as well.
 
The letters O-U-V-E-R-T and about 30 faded signs still cling to the fence along the path where it meets Henri Julien Ave. Residents staged a protest there in June to call for an official opening onto the tracks. An old worn-out rug on the other side of the fence suggests this used to be a crossing point.
 
"They're like natural passageways," said Victor Locuratolo, who lives in Little Italy and contributes drawings to the Facebook group. "People are attracted to the peacefulness," he said.
 
People will continue to make holes in the fence and trespass illegally, he said, because they want it to be a public space. "Most people (trespass) to reappropriate themselves of the city," he said.
 
Beatrice Fantoni.