My Alerts 
The Blue Line Project Office is pleased to announce that the tunnel boring machine has arrived at the Port of Montreal, marking a key milestone in the project. Custom-made in Germany for Montreal’s metro extension project, this massive drilling machine, has a cutting wheel measuring 9.7 metres in diameter will be used to dig and encase 4.6 kilometers of tunnel all the way to Anjou.
Over the coming days, the tunnel boring machine will be transported in separate parts to the construction site of the future Vertières station. This large-scale logistical operation, carried out mainly at night to minimize traffic disruption, requires special transport due to the oversized dimensions and weight of several components. The assembly of the tunnel boring machine will span several months, with activation planned for spring 2026.
“For the past year, work on the Blue Line extension has been moving forward on schedule, and tangible progress has been made. Vertical excavation is now complete for two of the future stations, and work continues simultaneously at the other sites. At the future Vertières station, horizontal excavation has already begun, with our teams now digging a portion of the tunnel eastward to accommodate the tunnel boring machine. Digging is also underway on the westbound tunnel toward Saint-Michel station,” said Maha Clour, head of the Blue Line Project Office.
In keeping with a time-honoured tradition for such projects, the Blue Line Project Office will soon invite the public to vote on a name for the tunnel boring machine.
About the Blue Line Project Office
The Blue Line Project is a key development project in the east end of Montréal. The six-kilometre métro extension will add five new stations east of Saint-Michel station, bringing the Blue Line into Anjou. The project is a collaboration between five partner organizations: the Ministère des Transports et de la Mobilité durable, the Autorité régionale du transport métropolitain, the City of Montréal, the Société québécoise des infrastructures, and the Société de transport de Montréal.
More information and project updates
Anyone interested can subscribe to the worksite e-newsletters for updates as the project reaches new stages or visit BlueLineProject.info for more information.