Travelers look at a departure information board at Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport in Montreal, Friday, Dec. 23, 2023. The authority overseeing the Montreal airport is rolling out a nearly $4-billion plan to reduce congestion and improve access. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Christinne Muschi
MONTREAL – The authority overseeing the Montreal airport is rolling out a nearly $4-billion plan to reduce congestion and ramp up capacity.
The announcement comes after rising passenger volumes and surging car traffic last summer prompted a wave of frustration among travellers trying to make their flights on time.
In 2023, gridlock on the road leading to the Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport meant it wasn’t uncommon to see pedestrians on the highway off-ramp hauling their bags on foot to the entrance, particularly in late afternoon and early evening.
The blueprint for the upgrades includes an expanded roadway running past the main entrance, new parking lots and drop-off areas, a satellite terminal and connection to the REM commuter rail line.
In a speech to the Chamber of Commerce of Metropolitan Montreal on Thursday, airport authority CEO Yves Beauchamp said it has the capital to make the upgrades by 2028.
Ridership has been rising rapidly after the pandemic nosedive, as 32 per cent more travellers – 21 million of them – passed through the airport last year than in 2022, topping pre-pandemic levels as well.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 4, 2024.
