City to undertake major project on McTavish St. this summer

The City of Montreal plans to start work next week on preparations for a major construction project on McTavish St. that will continue throughout the summer. Sewer and water lines, some more than 100 years old, will be replaced. At McGill’s request, the City will install additional storm sewer drains to help deal with water in the event of a flood similar to that of a little more than a year ago.
During the major construction project on McTavish Street, including next week’s preliminary work, pedestrian access to the street itself will be severely constrained, but the western sidewalk, in front of the Bookstore, the Faculty Club, the Student Centre and so forth, will remain open. / Photo: Neale McDevitt
During the major construction project on McTavish Street pedestrian access to the street itself will be severely constrained, but the western sidewalk, in front of the Bookstore, the Faculty Club, the Student Centre and so forth, will remain open. / Photo: Neale McDevitt

By McGill Reporter Staff

The City of Montreal plans to start work next week on preparations for a major construction project on McTavish St. that will continue throughout the summer.

Sewer and water lines, some of which that are nearly 100 years old, will be replaced. At McGill’s request, the City will install additional storm sewer drains to help deal with water in the event of a flood similar to that of a little more than a year ago.

Next week’s preliminary work, which involves soil testing, determining the actual location of the pipes and such, will continue during the daytime from Monday, April 7, until Friday, April 11, according to the latest version of the City’s plans. Work will then be suspended during McGill’s exam period (April 14-29) and resume in early May with the start of construction itself.

During the project, including next week’s preliminary work, pedestrian access to the street itself will be severely constrained, but the western sidewalk, in front of the Bookstore, the Faculty Club, the Student Centre and so forth, will remain open. There will be a crossing provided for at the McTavish Gate, and vehicular access for deliveries to the Redpath Library loading dock on the east side, as well as for emergency vehicles, will be maintained.

Please obey flagmen or security personnel as they direct pedestrian and heavy truck traffic in the vicinity.

 

Deliveries to buildings on the west side of McTavish will be made via the alley behind them, and access to the Bronfman Building parking garage will be only available via the Peel Street entrance/exit road.

 

The construction work itself will be carried out in two phases: first, from Sherbrooke St. north to the alleyway beside the Faculty Club; second, from the Faculty Club north to Dr. Penfield Ave.

At the moment, the City expects construction to last well into August, but the actual completion date is at this point unknowable, depending upon contingencies that might arise during either the preliminary work next week or during the actual construction work itself.

A number of details of the project, including precise dates and locations of construction activities, remain to be worked out and may be also affected by the results of next week’s preliminary work. To keep up to date, you can visit McGill’s construction website, where the University will post updates as the work progresses.

If you have questions about the work or how it might affect you, please contact reno.information@mcgill.ca and your questions will be answered to the best of our ability.

Messages indicating significant developments or changes in the project will be sent to the community as needed.

The City of Montreal maintains a website and an information hotline from Monday to Friday, from 8:30 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. at 514 872-3777. Outside of those hours, you can call 311.