View source for Pie-IX BRT

{{Short description|Bus rapid transit (BRT) corridor}}
{{Infobox bus line
| logo            = [[File:Montreal public transit icons - SRB.svg|100px]]
| logo_width      = 
| logo_alt        = BRT logo
| number          = Pie-IX bus rapid transit
| bgcolor         = #009F7B
| titlecolor      = white
| subheader       = [[French language|French]]: Service rapide par bus Pie-IX
| operatorlogo    = STM (logo, 2010).svg
| oplogo_width    = 100px
| image           = Du Mont Royal station, Pie-IX BRT.jpg
| image_width     = <!-- width of the main image -->
| image_alt       = <!-- alternate text for main image -->
| caption         = Du Mont Royal station
| system          = 
| operator        = [[Société de transport de Montréal]] (STM)
| garage          = 
| vehicle         = [[Nova Bus LFS]] Artic
| status          = 
| open            = {{Start date|2022|11|7}}
| predecessors    = 505 R-BUS Pie-IX (1989–2002)
| night           =
| routetype       = [[Bus rapid transit]]
| locale          = [[Montreal]] and [[Laval, Quebec|Laval]], [[Quebec]]
| start           = [[Saint-Martin, Laval, Quebec|Saint-Martin]], [[Laval, Quebec|Laval]]
| via             = 
| end             = [[Pie-IX station]] (initial)<br />[[Saint Catherine Street]] (planned)
| length          = {{convert|13|km|mi}}
| stops           = 20
| frequency       = 
| zone            = 
| ridership       = 
| transfers       = 
| timetable_link  = <!-- external link to an online timetable (ex: [http://www.example.com/timetable.html Line xx timetable]) --> 
| map_link        = <!-- external link to an online map (ex: [http://www.example.com/map.html Line xx map]) -->
| map             = {{Pie-IX BRT RDT|inline=1}}
| map_state       = collapsed
| map_name        = <!-- name of the map (defaults to 'Route map') -->
| notes           = <!-- anything special in small font, centered at the bottom of the infobox -->
}}

The '''Pie-IX BRT''' is a [[bus rapid transit]] (BRT) corridor on [[Pie-IX Boulevard]] in [[Montreal]] between [[Saint Catherine Street]] in [[Hochelaga-Maisonneuve]] and [[Saint-Martin, Laval, Quebec|Saint Martin]] in [[Laval, Quebec|Laval]]. After four years of construction, the majority of Pie-IX BRT stations opened in November 2022, with the remaining opening in 2023.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |last=Sargeant |first=Timothy |date=3 November 2022 |title=New reserved bus lanes on Pie-IX Boulevard to open Monday |url=https://globalnews.ca/news/9251012/new-reserved-bus-lanes-pie-ix-boulevard-open-monday/ |access-date=2022-11-09 |website=Global News |language=en-US}}</ref> It is currently served by the 439 route.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Boarding buses via all doors on the 139 and 439 bus lines: improving the transit experience for customers |url=https://www.stm.info/en/press/press-releases/2016/boarding-buses-via-all-doors-on-the-139-and-439-bus-lines--improving-the-transit-experience-for-customers |access-date=2024-12-12 |website=Société de transport de Montréal |language=en}}</ref>

Historically, an express bus service was available on Pie-IX Boulevard between 1990 and 2002 by the [[Société de transport de Montréal|Société de transport de la communauté urbaine de Montréal]] (STCUM), until the system was abandoned due to safety concerns following deaths of pedestrians. 

{{TOC limit|3}}

== Background ==
Bus rapid transit (BRT) uses reserved [[Bus lane|bus lanes]], [[Bus priority|priority to buses]] at [[Intersection (road)|intersections]], all door boarding and dedicated stations - allowing for higher [[Route capacity|capacity]] and [[On-time performance|reliability]] than a conventional bus system.<ref name="STM-site">{{Cite web |title=Integrated PIE-IX BRT Project |url=https://www.stm.info/en/about/major_projects/major-bus-projects/pie-ix-brt |access-date=26 August 2022 |publisher=[[Société de transport de Montréal]]}}</ref> In [[Quebec French]], bus rapid transit is known as ''Service Rapide par Bus (SRB)'', whereas in other varieties of [[French language|French]], bus rapid transit is known as ''[[Bus rapid transit|Bus à haut niveau de service]]'' (BHNS), literally 'Bus with a High Level of Service'.

== History ==
=== 505 R-BUS Pie-IX ===

[[Image:Pie-ix-belanger-brt-shelter.JPG|right|thumb|Old BRT shelter on Boulevard Pie-IX at Bélanger, now removed]]
The [[STCUM]] '''505 R-BUS Pie-IX''' (Express Pie-IX), running along [[Boulevard Pie-IX]], provided supplementary, limited-stop service to the [[139 Pie-IX]] bus route during rush hours. It operated from 1990 to 2002, being the first reserved-lane bus service and first BRT service in Montreal. The system had 10 dedicated stations, and a regular stop and terminus at the [[Pie-IX (Montreal Metro)|Pie-IX metro station]].<ref name="Faguy-2010-04-26">{{Cite web |title=Montreal Geography Trivia No. 75 {{!}} Fagstein |url=https://blog.fagstein.com/2010/04/26/montreal-geography-trivia-no-75/ |access-date=2022-09-23 |language=en-CA}}</ref> A unique feature of the original Pie-IX BRT was the use of [[Contraflow lane|contraflow lanes]] with [[island platform|island platforms]] at dedicated stations, along with other BRT features such as high frequency of service and priority traffic signals. Ridership was relatively high, with STCUM reporting around 5,000 users a day.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Doyon |first=Frédérique |date=2005-07-12 |title=Rapport du coroner - Feu vert à la réouverture de la voie réservée du boulevard Pie-IX |url=https://www.ledevoir.com/societe/85994/rapport-du-coroner-feu-vert-a-la-reouverture-de-la-voie-reservee-du-boulevard-pie-ix |access-date=2022-09-23 |website=Le Devoir |language=fr}}</ref> 

However between 1997 and 2002, four pedestrians were fatally struck, as the layout of the bus lane was deemed too confusing and dangerous.<ref name=":0" /> After the fourth pedestrian fatality, service was suspended indefinitely in 2002, although a provisional curbside bus lane was set up in the boulevard's right lane.<ref>{{Cite web |date=12 July 2000 |title=Montréal, le 12 juillet 2000 - La STCUM désire informer sa clientèle que les véhicules desservant la ligne 505 R-Bus Pie-IX rouleront en bord |url=https://www.stm.info/en/node/1075 |access-date=2022-09-23 |website=Société de transport de Montréal |language=fr}}</ref> There were plans to restart the service once safety cones and fences are installed along Pie-IX Boulevard, but the relaunch did not occur.<ref name=Faguy-2010-04-26/><ref name=":0" /> The stations were dismantled as of August 2010, to make way for the revised service system.<ref name="Metro-2010-08-03">{{in lang|fr}} Metro (Montreal), [http://www.journalmetro.com/linfo/article/593825--disparition-des-derniers-vestiges-de-la-voie-reservee "Disparition des derniers vestiges de la voie réservée sur Pie-IX"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110727080609/http://www.journalmetro.com/linfo/article/593825--disparition-des-derniers-vestiges-de-la-voie-reservee |date=2011-07-27 }}, Jennifer Guthrie, 03 août 2010 21:49</ref>

=== Pie-IX BRT ===
In 2007, the City of Montreal proposed a renewed bus rapid transit service on Pie-IX Boulevard as part of its transportation plan. The plan calls for BRT service along Pie-IX from [[Quebec Autoroute 440 (Laval)|Autoroute 440]] in [[Laval, Quebec|Laval]] to [[Notre-Dame Street]] in [[Hochelaga-Maisonneuve]], continuing along Notre-Dame and [[René Lévesque Boulevard]] to offer an express link to Downtown Montreal.<ref name="2007Plan" /> In 2009, the [[Agence métropolitaine de transport]] (AMT) regional transportation agency formally proposed the Pie-IX BRT to the provincial government, calling for frequent 24-hour service on bidirectional lanes in the central median between Autoroute 40 and Notre-Dame Street.<ref name="CTV-BRT-2009">{{Cite web |date=2009-12-17 |title=Reserved bus lane coming to Pie-IX Boulevard |url=https://montreal.ctvnews.ca/reserved-bus-lane-coming-to-pie-ix-boulevard-1.465442 |access-date=2022-09-23 |website=CTV Montreal |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Corriveau |first=Jeanne |date=2009-07-09 |title=Voie réservée aux autobus - Pie-IX: entente entre la STM et l'AMT |url=https://www.ledevoir.com/societe/transports-urbanisme/258378/voie-reservee-aux-autobus-pie-ix-entente-entre-la-stm-et-l-amt |access-date=2022-09-23 |website=Le Devoir |language=fr}}</ref> The renewed BRT proposal called for [[side platform|side platforms]] at stops, eliminating the much-criticized contraflow design of the original lane.<ref name="AMT2009">{{cite web|url=https://numerique.banq.qc.ca/patrimoine/details/52327/4187955|website=[[Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec]]|publisher=[[Agence métropolitaine de transport]]|date=2009|title=Rapport annuel 2009}}</ref>

Although the AMT planned for the Pie-IX BRT to begin operations in 2013, the project only received approval from the provincial government in 2015, with a tentative completion date of 2022.<ref name="Lapresse2">{{cite web|title=Boulevard Pie-IX: le projet de SRB pas terminé avant 2022|url=https://www.lapresse.ca/actualites/montreal/201510/21/01-4912379-boulevard-pie-ix-le-projet-de-srb-pas-termine-avant-2022.php|date=21 October 2015|first=Pierre-André|last=Normandin|website=[[La Presse (Canadian newspaper)|La Presse]]}}</ref> The approved project was less ambitious than the original proposal, calling only for the construction of bidirectional bus lanes and 15 BRT stops between Charleroi Street in [[Montréal-Nord]] and [[Pie-IX station]] in [[Hochelaga-Maisonneuve]]. 

==== Construction ====
After the project was transferred to the [[Société de transport de Montréal]] (STM) in 2017, construction began in November 2018.<ref name="Devoir">{{Cite web |last=Ferraris |first=Florence Sara G. |date=11 June 2018 |title=Trop peu, trop tard pour les bus rapides sur Pie-IX? |url=https://www.ledevoir.com/societe/transports-urbanisme/530015/srb-pie-ix-trop-peu-trop-tard-disent-les-experts |website=[[Le Devoir]]}}</ref> Work began with the rebuilding of the underground utilities beneath the boulevard. It was also announced that the Pie-IX BRT would be extended after all to [[Saint-Martin, Laval, Quebec|Saint-Martin]] in Laval, as the provincial government agreed to rebuild [[Pie IX Bridge]] to carry the bus lanes across the [[Rivière des Prairies]]. The total cost of the project was estimated to be $394 million.<ref name="TheSuburban">{{cite web|title=Pie-IX bus line is a go|url=https://www.thesuburban.com/news/laval_news/pie-ix-bus-line-is-a-go/article_376339d0-e1e2-5892-bb91-9402b444bd8a.html|first=Joel|last=Ceausu|website=[[The Suburban]]|date=13 June 2018}}</ref> The southern portion cancelled in 2015 was restored in 2019 when the province announced that the Pie-IX BRT would be extended southward to Notre-Dame Street, with construction to begin in spring 2022 and end in fall 2023.<ref name="Global2019">{{cite web|title=Montreal’s rapid bus system to extend to Notre-Dame Street East|url=https://globalnews.ca/news/6293833/montreal-rapid-bus-system-extension/|first=Alessia Simona|last=Maratta|date=13 December 2019|website=[[Global News]]}}</ref>

In 2022, it was announced that the launch of the Pie-IX BRT would be phased, with most of the service launching as planning in late 2022. The openings of Jean-Talon and Bélanger stations were pushed back to 2023 due to the construction of a pedestrian tunnel to better integrate the BRT service with the future [[Blue Line (Montreal Metro)#Future extension|Blue Line extension]] station. Pierre-De Coubertin station was also pushed back to 2023 due to construction delays.<ref name="STM-site" /> The overall cost of the project had increased to $472m.<ref name=":2" />

==== Opening ====
After a formal opening by [[Mayor of Montreal]] [[Valérie Plante]] and [[Minister for Transport (Quebec)|Quebec Minister for Transport]] [[Geneviève Guilbault]], the majority of stations opened on 7 November 2022,<ref name=":2" /> with 6 stations planned to open in 2023.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |date=2022-10-11 |title=Le SRB Pie-IX « graduellement » mis en service dès le 7 novembre |url=https://www.lapresse.ca/actualites/grand-montreal/2022-10-11/le-srb-pie-ix-graduellement-mis-en-service-des-le-7-novembre.php |access-date=2022-10-11 |website=La Presse |language=fr}}</ref>  

== Features ==
[[File:Laurier Pie-IX BRT station.jpg|thumb|Laurier Pie-IX BRT station, showing the dedicated lanes]]
The Pie-IX bus rapid transit system includes many typical BRT features, which save an estimated 10 minutes from the bus travel time along Pie-IX Boulevard.<ref name="STM-site" /> 

* Bus priority measures — The Pie-IX BRT have a dedicated [[Right-of-way (transportation)|right-of-way]] along a bidirectional, all-day central bus lane along its entire route from Saint-Martin to Notre-Dame Street along with [[Bus priority signal|traffic-signal priority]] measures at major intersections.

* Station infrastructure — Featuring [[High-level platform|platform-level boarding]] and dedicated stations, the Pie-IX BRT is fully-accessible and equipped with passenger shelters and countdown timers at all stops.

* All-door boarding — Unlike most buses in Montreal where boarding is only permitted through the front door, the Pie-IX BRT permits passengers to enter and exit through all doors to decrease the boarding time.
Additionally, work to replace municipal infrastructure such as sewer and water lines, as well as repaving roads and sidewalks took place. Extensive landscaping including tree planting also took place.<ref name="STM-site" />

== Stations ==

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Station
! Opened / Opening
! Connections
! Locale
|-
| [[Saint-Martin, Laval, Quebec|Saint Martin]]
| November 7, 2022
| [[Autorité régionale de transport métropolitain|ARTM]]: [[File:Montreal public transit icons - Stationnement incitatif.svg|18px|ARTM symbol for park and rides|link=List of park and rides in Greater Montreal]] Saint-Martin [[List of park and rides in Greater Montreal|Park and Ride Lot]]
|rowspan=2|[[Laval, Quebec|Laval]]
|-
| Concorde
| November 7, 2022
| 
|-
!colspan=4|[[Pie IX Bridge]] over the [[Rivière des Prairies]]
|-
| Amos
| November 7, 2022
| 
| rowspan=4|[[Montréal-Nord]]
|-
| De Castille
| November 7, 2022
| 
|-
| Fleury
| November 7, 2022
| 
|-
| 56e rue
| November 7, 2022
| {{rint|montreal|rail|Mascouche}} [[Saint-Michel–Montréal-Nord station]]
|-
| 47e rue
| November 7, 2022
| 
| rowspan=4| [[Villeray–Saint-Michel–Parc-Extension]]
|-
| 39e rue
| November 7, 2022
| 
|-
| Robert
| November 7, 2022
| 
|-
| Jarry
| November 7, 2022
| 
|-
! colspan=4|{{Jctrdt|province=QC|A|40}} [[Quebec Autoroute 40]]
|-
| [[Jean Talon Street|Jean-Talon]]
| December 18, 2023
| [[Montreal Metro]]: {{rint|montreal|metro}} {{rint|montreal|metro|blue}} Unnamed future station
| rowspan=2|Villeray–Saint-Michel–Parc-Extension
|-
| rowspan=2|Bélanger
| rowspan=2|December 18, 2023
| style="border-style: solid solid none solid;"| {{zwsp}}
|-
| style="border-style: none solid solid solid;"| {{zwsp}}
| rowspan=5|[[Rosemont–La Petite-Patrie]]
|-
| [[Beaubien Street|Beaubien]]
| November 7, 2022
| 
|-
| Rosemont
| November 7, 2022
| 
|-
| [[Laurier Avenue (Montreal)|Laurier]]
| November 7, 2022
| 
|-
| [[Mount Royal Avenue|Mont-Royal]]
| November 7, 2022
| 
|-
| Pierre-De Coubertin
| 2023
| [[Montreal Metro]]: {{rint|montreal|metro}} {{rint|montreal|metro|green}} [[Pie-IX station]]
| rowspan=4|[[Hochelaga-Maisonneuve]]
|-
| De Rouen
| Fall 2023
| 
|-
| [[Ontario Street (Montreal)|Ontario]]
| Fall 2023
| 
|-
| [[Saint Catherine Street|Sainte-Catherine]]
| Fall 2023
| 
|-
|}

== Artwork ==
[[File:Kyrielle by Jean-Sébastien Denis.jpg|thumb|''Kyrielle'' by Jean-Sébastien Denis]]
Owing to Quebec's [[percent for art]] programme, and following the example of the Montreal Metro, the Pie-IX BRT will have artwork at its stations. ''Kyrielle'' by Montreal born artist Jean-Sébastien Denis consists of painted aluminium in 70 different varieties, fixed to the Pie-IX BRT shelters. The patterns and colours of the aluminium evoke flags and other emblems.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Pie-IX BRT (Jean-Sébastien Denis) |url=https://www.stm.info/en/about/discover_the_stm_its_history/art-network/list-artworks/pie-ix-brt-jean-sebastien-denis |access-date=2022-09-21 |website=Société de transport de Montréal |language=en}}</ref>

== Future plans ==
=== Pie-IX light rail ===

Rail service along Pie-IX Boulevard has been discussed on several occasions in the city's history. While an [[streetcars in Montreal|electric streetcar]] once existed on Pie-IX Boulevard, the service was withdrawn in the mid-20th century in favour of motor buses. Later, as part of the development of the [[Montreal Metro]], a [[White Line (Montreal Metro)|White Line]] was proposed beneath Pie-IX Boulevard, but the project never moved past the planning stage.

In the City of Montreal's 2007 Transportation Plan, Pie-IX is identified as a potential axis for light rail development.<ref name="2007Plan">{{Cite web|url=http://ville.montreal.qc.ca/pls/portal/docs/PAGE/LIBRAIRIE_FR/DOCUMENTS/PLAN_DE_TRANSPORT.PDF|title=Plan de transport 2007|publisher=City of Montreal|date=17 May 2007|page=55}}</ref> In response to calls for the Pie-IX bus rapid transit project to be converted to light rail, an ARTM spokesperson indicated in 2018 that the project had advanced too far and that it was too late to consider an alternative transit mode.<ref name="24h">{{Cite web|url=https://www.24heures.ca/2018/02/27/boulevard-pie-ix-un-tramway-toujours-possible-selon-un-expert|title=Boulevard Pie-IX: un tramway toujours possible, selon un expert|website=[[24 Hours (newspaper)|24 Heures]]|date=27 February 2018|last=Goudreault|first=Zacharie}}</ref>

=== BRT expansion ===

The 2007 Transportation Plan that proposed the Pie-IX BRT also called for a five-kilometre BRT route along [[Henri Bourassa Boulevard]] to be built by 2018 at a cost of $25 million.<ref name="2007Plan"/> However, this project did not advance further than the conceptual stage.

Ahead of the [[2021 Montreal municipal election]], [[Projet Montréal]] proposed as part of its successful bid for a second mandate to implement a "Metrobus" with characteristics similar to the Pie-IX BRT on Henri-Bourassa Boulevard. The line would extend from [[Du Ruisseau station]] on the [[Réseau express métropolitain]] to the proposed Montréal-Nord station on the [[Réseau express métropolitain#REM de l'Est|REM de l'Est]], with connections at [[Henri-Bourassa station]] on the [[Orange Line (Montreal Metro)|Orange Line]] and Amos station on the Pie-IX BRT.<ref name="Metrobus">{{Cite web|title=Projet Montréal promet un « Métrobus » sur Henri-Bourassa|url=https://www.lapresse.ca/actualites/grand-montreal/2021-10-27/projet-montreal-promet-un-metrobus-sur-henri-bourassa.php|website=[[La Presse (Canadian newspaper)|La Presse]]|first=Henri|last=Ouellette-Vézina|date=27 October 2021}}</ref> The STM has also commissioned a prefeasibility study exploring the implementation of three BRT lines on Henri-Bourassa Boulevard, [[Côte-des-Neiges Road]] and [[Park Avenue (Montreal)|Park Avenue]], with the final report due in 2023.<ref name="JDM">{{cite web|title=Trois nouveaux projets de bus rapides|url=https://www.journaldemontreal.com/2021/03/29/trois-nouveaux-projets-de-bus-rapides|website=[[Le Journal de Montréal]]|date=29 March 2021|last1=Cambron-Goulet|first1=Dominique|first2=Jean-Luc|last2=Lavallée}}</ref>

== See also ==
* [[Autorité régionale de transport métropolitain]] (ARTM)
* [[Société de transport de Montréal]] (STM)
* [[List of Société de transport de Montréal bus routes]]
* [[Ottawa Transitway]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* [https://www.stm.info/en/about/major_projects/major-bus-projects/pie-ix-brt Official Pie-IX BRT project page]
* STM 505 R-BUS Pie-IX [https://web.archive.org/web/20111113111930/http://www.stm.info/English/bus/plan_lig/A-PL505.htm route map] and [https://web.archive.org/web/20111111141158/http://www.stm.info/English/bus/GEOMET/A-GEO505.htm stop listing] (copies archived November 2011)
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20060218113546/http://www.apta.com/research/info/briefings/documents/diaz_schneck.pdf Innovative Service Design Among Bus Rapid Transit Systems In The Americas] (PDF)


[[Category:Société de transport de Montréal|Bus rapid transit]]
[[Category:Transport in Montreal|Bus rapid transit]]
[[Category:Bus rapid transit in Canada]]
[[Category:1989 establishments in Quebec]]