Plan ahead! Major construction projects planned at Montreal Airport
Travellers walk through traffic with their luggage as they try to catch their flights at the Pierre Elliott Trudeau airport, in Montreal, Thursday, Sept. 7, 2023. (Christinne Muschi/The Canadian Press)
Travellers passing through the Montreal Airport (ADM) in the coming months and years will need to be patient or plan their trips carefully if they want to ensure they arrive at the terminal on time.
'The airport site was not designed to accommodate so many cars. Drop-off areas are overused, parking spaces are insufficient, congestion is frequent and it even backs up onto the highway,' explained Jérôme Conraud, one of the airport planning managers at ADM.
'Last year, we had 22.5 million passengers, and traffic continues to grow,' he said during a meeting with the media on Tuesday morning.
In recent years, several news reports have shown passengers stuck in traffic jams on the highway, forced to continue on foot so as not to miss their flights.
Montreal airport headaches
Travellers walk through traffic with their luggage as they try to catch their flights at the Pierre Elliott Trudeau airport, in Montreal, Thursday, Sept. 7, 2023. (Christinne Muschi/The Canadian Press)
The airport has launched several projects that will take place over several years to improve traffic flow, but this work will inevitably have an impact on traffic.
'We are really getting down to business, starting major investment projects aimed at improving the airport, enhancing the user experience, and making the airport more connected and accessible,' said Conraud.
'If people don't follow our advice, it may be a headache to get to YUL,' said Anne Marcotte, YUL's director of public relations, during a technical briefing for the media.
In the coming months and years, ADM will reconfigure certain road accesses, build new drop-off areas, demolish the current large multi-storey car park to build a new one further away, add parking spaces, add a satellite pier and expand the baggage hall, build a rainwater retention basin south of the airport and welcome the REM.
Mitigation measures
Mitigation measures will be put in place starting in the summer of 2025.
'This summer, we will begin closing certain access ramps. At the end of the year, we will demolish and close the multi-storey car park and put in place a number of mitigation measures to help users get through this period,' said Conraud.
Two alternative drop-off points, called 'express,' served by a shuttle service that runs on a dedicated road to access the terminal, have been set up.
Visitors dropping off or picking up travellers are therefore asked to use these drop-off points.
'Try them, it will save you from getting stuck in traffic,' said Conraud.
The first 40 minutes are now free in most car parks to prevent visitors from adding to congestion by waiting in their cars in front of the terminal.
'One habit we would like to avoid and correct is when people come to pick someone up at the terminal and drive around in circles on the network. Twenty-five per cent of motorists drive around the network more than once, which contributes to congestion. So you have to go to the express drop-off points or the free parking lots,' added Cornaud.
A virtual waiting area for taxis and Uber has also been designed to prevent multiple vehicles from blocking traffic in front of the terminal.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on June 17, 2025.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CTV News
24 minutes ago
- CTV News
Change in fare prices for Grand River Transit on July 1
The Grand River Transit will be increasing some of their fares beginning on July 1. Starting Tuesday, cash fares and single tickets will increase by 25 cents, going from $3.75 to $4.00. Children ages six and under will be able to ride transit for free, a two-year increase. Those on the Affordable Transit Program can use less money on their EasyGO, with fare now dropping 15 cents to $1.35. The cost of a monthly pass will rise to $104. Those on the affordable program will be able to pay a dollar less than usual, at $47. Full-time students at Conestoga College, University of Waterloo and Wilfrid Laurier will have to pay $124.91 for a U-Pass, an almost $6 increase. On Tuesday, transit will be running on a holiday schedule for Canada Day.
CTV News
36 minutes ago
- CTV News
This hilltop town is one of Europe's smallest — and most unusual — countries
Borgo Maggiore, at the foot of San Marino's Mount Titano, can be reached by cable car. (iStockphoto/Getty Images via CNN Newsource) From the endless beaches of Rimini to the culinary corridor of Bologna, Modena and Parma, visitors to northeastern Italy's Emilia-Romagna region have plenty to explore. They might also accidentally stumble into another country entirely. Tucked away in the hilly countryside just a few kilometers from the Adriatic coast is one of the world's smallest nations — the centuries-old republic of San Marino. There are no frontiers or checkpoints marking the border of this tiny state, just a sign along the highway welcoming arrivals to the 'Ancient Land of Freedom.' Those who make the journey may think themselves in just another picturesque Italian hilltop town, but despite its diminutive size and the fact that locals speak and eat Italian, it's an entirely separate country, with a long and determined history of independence. Founded in the fourth century, San Marino is actually the world's oldest republic. It covers an area of just 23.6 square miles (61.2 square kilometers). Although bigger than the European city-states of Monaco and the Vatican City, it is the continent's smallest democratic nation. It has its own heads of state — unusually, two at the same time — its own surprisingly successful national soccer team, its own flag, and a population of 34,000 'Sammarinesi' who proudly cling to their identity and traditions. It's a quirky place, full of contradictions, that attracts curious outsiders but relatively few Italians, most of whom have never seen it and don't know how it came to be. Independent and free 'What's special about San Marino is its uniqueness,' Antonia Ponti, an official San Marino tourist guide, tells CNN. 'This republic has been independent and free for centuries, and although the local dialect and food are typical of Italy's Romagna (sub-region), never call locals 'Italians' because they'd feel insulted. San Marino The tiny state of San Marino sits on a hill above Italy's Emilio-Romagna region. (Manuel Romano/NurPhoto/Getty Images via CNN Newsource) 'They have their own flag, coat of arms, and passport; they have adopted the euro though they aren't part of the European Union.' Ponti admits that San Marino may be rivaled by other locations in surrounding Italy — 'it surely isn't the most beautiful place in the world…' — tourists are lured by the prospect of seeing what this tiny country within a country is all about. 'San Marino is just like any other walled hilltop Italian town you'd find in Tuscany, Latium, Marche or Umbria, but it has a special history-rich vibe and boasts unique views thanks to its geographical position,' says Ponti. But, in the same way visitors want to explore tiny European principalities like Liechtenstein or Monaco, San Marino seems to attract people enchanted with the idea of a microscopic republic. Once there, they're often delighted by its medieval architecture, Ponti adds. 'Many foreign tourists who visit Emilia-Romagna, mostly to indulge in its iconic recipes, often decide to hop over and visit San Marino. At the end of the tour, they never thought they'd discover such a charming place packed with ancient monuments, artisan boutiques and traditional performances,' she says. A medieval maze The country's main highlights and monuments are concentrated in the old town, a UNESCO World Heritage-listed site perched on the panoramic rocky Mount Titano, where views stretch to the Adriatic coast and on clear days across to Croatia. It's like walking in an open-air museum. The imposing medieval stone walls enclose the original settlement, a car-free maze of narrow cobblestone alleys. There are three massive towers linked by a path that runs along the ridge of the mountain. Once used as military lookouts to ward against enemy invasions, the towers are open to the public and feature dungeons, a museum of historical weapons and the so-called 'Witches' Path' walkway that offers great views. San Marino was, legend has it, founded in 301CE by a stonemason called Saint Marinus, an early Christian native of the island of Rab in Dalmatia, now in modern-day Croatia. He's said to have fled to Italy and climbed Mount Titano to escape from the Christian persecutions of the Roman Emperor Diocletian. Bone relics purportedly of the saint are kept at the basilica, which also contains what is claimed to be the 'rock bed' where he slept, and which is believed to have healing powers. Marinus' masonry profession was continued by subsequent generations of Sammarinesi, according to Ponti. 'Stone cutting from the flanks of Mount Titano has been the main business here for centuries, and families were poor,' she says. 'Then after the Second World War, progress led to the flourishing of different artisan industries such as pottery, tiles, furniture and paper.' As they live on such a small patch of land the sense of community is strongly felt among the Sammarinesi, who stick together and are proud of their centuries-old identity as 'free people,' adds Ponti. Ancient protocols and rituals survive. San Marino's parliament, the Public Palace, is open to visitors and hosts a grandiose hourly changing of the guard ceremony daily during summer. It's a spectacle: the guards wear multicoloured medieval uniforms with red pants and striking pom-pom hats. Ancient traditions The country has other ancient and unusual institutions. San Marino The city has its own government and traditions. (Vincenzo Pinto/AFP/Getty Images via CNN Newsource) There are the two heads of state. Known as Captains Regent, these have been elected every six months since 1243. Held each year, on April 1 and October 1, elaborate appointment ceremonies are regulated by a strict protocol that has never changed over the centuries. Despite its size, San Marino's democratic principles reach right down to the grassroots. The country is divided into nine districts known as castelli, each headed by a captain also elected on a regular basis. Ponti explains that all these checks and balances, which may seem paradoxical in a tiny republic, were put into place to ensure that no single leader in the hierarchy could limit the power of the others. Visitors can get a sense of these different geographical jurisdictions by taking a panoramic cableway down from the old town to the castello of Borgo Maggiore, at the foot of Mount Titano. Another attraction, back in the old town, is the Stamp and Coin Museum which displays commemorative medals, historical stamps and the first Sammarinese coins, dating from to the 19th and 20th centuries. As well as its fairy-tale-like ancient center, San Marino is surrounded by nature and mountain trails. It's ideal for trekking, cycling, rock climbing and archery. And, as you'd expect from somewhere surrounded by some of Italy's best food destinations, the culinary traditions of San Marino closely resemble those of the neighboring Romagna and Marche regions. That means all kinds of homemade pasta and piadina stuffed flatbreads. It's also known for its liqueurs, like amaretto and pistacchione made with pistachios. Traditional desserts include Torta Tre Monti, or 'Three Hills Cake' — named after the city-state's three towers — made with layers of thin wafers sandwiching chocolate and hazelnut cream. For day-trippers who overindulge, luckily the trip back to Italy is all downhill.
National Post
4 hours ago
- National Post
Canadian travellers exploring 'their own backyard' this summer, Airbnb says
There's no place like our home and native land. Article content That seems to be what Canadian Airbnb users are thinking as schools close and summer vacation officially kicks off with domestic travel bookings expected to continue being a hot ticket. Article content Such bookings jumped 40% last year compared to 2019 for a total of more than 9 million domestic guest arrivals, Airbnb said, and that trend is expected to continue this summer as the home-sharing company recently offered a list of the 10 trendiest locations to visit in Canada. Article content Article content Article content Stretching from southern Alberta to just about as far east as travellers can go (St. John's), 'domestic travel continues to thrive with more Canadians seeking getaways close to home. Article content 'From national parks and quiet seaside towns to vibrant small cities, this summer's top trending domestic destinations stretch across the country,' the company said, basing its results on searches made in 2024 for travel this summer. Article content 'Whether it's a rustic cabin, a coastal cottage or a trendy tiny home, Canadians are finding meaningful ways to explore their own backyard.' Article content Article content Leading the way were two Ontario destinations that are likely well-known to travellers from the GTA: The Blue Mountain area, near Collingwood, and the hiking and camping hot spot of Algonquin Park, which is still recovering from a damaging storm earlier this month. Article content Quebec was home to three of the 10 locations, including the secluded Magdalen Islands in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, known for their 'wind-swept beaches, dramatic cliffs and Acadian roots;' La Haute-Gaspesie, another hiking hot spot along the St. Lawrence River; and the 'rustic' Matawinie region, north of Montreal that includes Mont-Tremblant National Park. Article content Article content Article content St. John's and Hubbards, N.S., a coastal community west of Halifax 'offering seafood shacks, beaches and laid-back charm,' were among the East Coast options, while Winnipeg's 'thriving arts scene,' the 'lakeside adventures' in nearby Falcon Lake, Man., and the Rocky Mountain 'gem' of Waterton Park, Alta., were drawing travellers to the Prairies. Article content
