YELLOW METRO LINE: SECOND PHASE OF WEEKEND CLOSINGS FROM SEPTEMBER 13 TO DECEMBER 21

Press release

The STM is set to begin the second phase of work during which the métro’s Yellow line is shut down on weekends while repairs continue on the tunnel’s ceiling. The Yellow line will therefore be completely closed on Saturdays and Sundays from September 13 to December 21, as well as on Thanksgiving Monday, October 13. However, the line will be kept in service for the Montréal Marathon, during the September 27-28 weekend.

Montréal, September 10, 2014 – The STM is set to begin the second phase of work during which the métro’s Yellow line is shut down on weekends while repairs continue on the tunnel’s ceiling. The Yellow line will therefore be completely closed on Saturdays and Sundays from September 13 to December 21, as well as on Thanksgiving Monday, October 13. However, the line will be kept in service for the Montréal Marathon, during the September 27-28 weekend.


As for the first phase of weekend closings last spring, the STM is instituting three round-trip shuttle routes that will offer the same level of service as the Yellow line:

804 Longueuil – Papineau – Berri-UQAM
Service intervals:

Saturdays

From 5:30 a.m. to 7:30 a.m.: every 10 to 20 minutes
From 7:30 a.m. to 11:00 p.m.: every 3 to 6 minutes
From 11:00 p.m. to 1:30 a.m.: every 10 to 12 minutes

Sundays

From 5:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m.: every 10 to 20 minutes
From 9:30 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.: every 5 to 6 minutes
From 9:00 p.m. to 1:00 a.m.: every 10 to 12 minutes

820 Longueuil – Jean-Drapeau
Service intervals: every 15 minutes
In service from 5:30 a.m. to 1:30 a.m. on Saturdays and from 5:30 a.m. to 1 a.m. on Sundays

877 Berri-UQAM – Papineau – Jean-Drapeau – Montréal Casino
Service intervals:
From 5:30 a.m. to 11 a.m.: every 23 minutes
From 11 a.m. to the end of service: every 12 minutes
In service from 5:30 a.m. to 1:30 a.m. on Saturdays and from 5:30 a.m. to 1 a.m. on Sundays

During all closure weekends, STM staff will be on site at Berri-UQAM, Papineau and Longueuil–Université-de-Sherbrooke stations to direct customers and answer their questions.
 

The Yellow line project involves repairing concrete along a section of the vaulted ceiling that has experienced some water infiltration over the years, as well as channelling that water and performing electrical work. The $10-million refurbishment is being carried out under the Réno-Infrastructures program and 75% of the cost is financed by Québec’s Ministère des Transports.

Results of first phase

The first phase of weekend closings that took place from March to May went off without a hitch. Indeed, a survey of transit users revealed a high level of satisfaction, as:

- 90% of customers claimed that closing down the Yellow line had little or no impact on their habits regarding public transit use;

- 91% of customers claimed they were either well informed or sufficiently well informed about the Yellow line’s shutdown. 

Closing down the métro line resulted in a decrease in ridership, which was predictable. It dropped an average of 37%, which is normal under the circumstances, especially as we had a cold and wet spring, factors that also have an impact on ridership. However, ridership quickly returned to its normal level. In fact, it was 1.4% higher in June this year compared with last year. 


To learn more about the project, please consult the STM website at: stm.info/en/works.