Montreal residents are accustomed to dealing with road closures and detours due to ongoing construction projects. The city is gearing up to host the upcoming road cycling world championships, attracting the best cyclists worldwide from Sept 20 to 27.
A section of Park Avenue, specifically between des Pins and Mont-Royal avenues, has been closed to traffic until Oct. 4 to facilitate the construction of a temporary stadium capable of accommodating up to 200,000 spectators. The championships will span across seven boroughs and the City of Westmount, covering 36 kilometers of the city’s road network, with races extending to the South Shore and beyond.
While Park Avenue remains completely closed throughout the championships, other streets will experience temporary closures on race days, reopening once the cyclists have passed through. City officials have emphasized the importance of residents being well-prepared for the upcoming disruptions. Interactive maps and real-time information for each race and affected regions are available on the championship’s website to assist residents in navigating the changes.
Various neighborhoods will face disruptions, affecting parking, bus routes, and municipal services such as trash collection. Executive committee member Christine Black highlighted that the Ville-Marie and Plateau-Mont-Royal boroughs will be most impacted. Some bus routes will be diverted or canceled, urging people to use the Metro and active transportation where possible.
The Société de transport de Montréal (STM) has outlined the impacted services, including major bus lines, on its website to aid residents in planning their trips. Public transit to and from the South Shore and Montérégie will also be affected on specific dates. Event organizers assure that efforts are being made to maximize the experience for Montrealers during the championships.
The last time Montreal hosted the road cycling world championships was in 1974, over 50 years ago. The upcoming event follows last year’s championships held in Kigali, Rwanda.