This major international city has been forced to master its environment, overcoming temperatures that veer dramatically from 30C in summer (about 86 degrees Fahrenheit) to -30C (about -22 degrees Fahrenheit) in winter. Montr¨¦al has achieved this by building a network of underground passageways and shopping malls where the pedestrian rules. This system has made Montr¨¦al pleasantly liveable in any weather, a prototype for the city of the future inspired by Leonardo da Vinci.
In winter, the indoor city makes it easy to shop in warmth and comfort. In the heat of summer, shoppers can explore safe, air-conditioned passageways. Spacious atriums filled with natural light and surrounded by boutiques and restaurants open the underground to the world above.
It all began in the 1960s, when construction started on Montr¨¦al's new downtown. The cruciform tower of Place Ville-Marie soon became a landmark for what was then Canada's leading metropolitan centre. This sparkling era of Montr¨¦al's history also heralded the creation of the M¨¦tro, the underground subway system. Today, 30 km of indoor corridors and passageways provide Montrealers and visitors alike with easy access to all city-centre services.
Whether you come downtown to work or study, see a movie or a show, window shop or dine out, the M¨¦tro and the indoor pedestrian network can take you there - to your office, the Universit¨¦ du Qu¨¦bec, the Olympic Park or the Place des Arts. New structures are added every year. Inaugurated in 1966, the M¨¦tro of Montr¨¦al is a remarkable technical and artistic achievement, with its 65 stations combining to form one of the world's largest art galleries. What's more, each station was designed by a different architect and no two are alike.
Montr¨¦al's indoor city continues to expand, offering Montrealers and visitors a mass transit and pedestrian system that is unique both in size and quality.
SOME STATISTICS
- one of the largest indoor cities in the world
- a 44 year partnership achievement
- a pedestrian network with 32 km of public corridors, indoor places and tunnels
- linking 10 subway stations, 2 commuters stations and 2 regional bus stations
- 62 linked downtown real estate complexes
- 4 million square metres of floor space, representing:
- 80 % of office spaces
- 35 % of downtown shops
- 1600 housing units
- 10000 indoor plublic parking spaces
- accessible from 155 entrances on the street
- used by 500,000 pedestrians daily
THE BOSTON CENTRAL ARTERY / TUNNEL PROJECT
The Central Artery/Tunnel Project is the largest, most complex and technologically challenging highway project ever attempted in American history. The project will dramatically reduce traffic congestion and improve mobility in one of America's oldest and most congested major cities, improve the environment and lay the groundwork for continued economic growth for millions of New Englanders in the coming new century.
This tunnel will have a dramatic impact on the quality of life in Boston, including several important environmental benefits. Because the traffic on the underground expressway will be moving steadily (rather than standing still eight or ten hours a day as it does on the existing elevated highway), air pollution will be reduced significantly. Carbon monoxide levels are expected to drop 12 percent city-wide. Dirt excavated during construction is being used to cap landfills, an important benefit to cities and towns throughout the region.
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