Tunnel de la mort
Encyclopedia
"Tunnel de la mort" is the informal name given, in Montreal
, to the notoriously dangerous intersection of Rue d'Iberville and Boulevard Saint-Joseph, at the border of the Rosemont–La Petite-Patrie
and Plateau-Mont-Royal
boroughs. The intersection owes this name to the fact it was originally surrounded by three railway overpasses immediately to the north, east, and west of it,More accurately northeast, northwest, and southwest: in Montreal, directions are given relative to the flow of the Saint Lawrence River
, which is considered west to east. All directions in this article are given according to that convention. and by concrete retaining wall
s on all four corners, severely restricting visibility to approaching motorists. Over 250 serious accidents have been reported at that intersection between 1992 and 2002.
Both streets narrow at the approach of this intersection. The east-west Boulevard Saint-Joseph, which is generally six-lanes-wide, narrows to four lanes in the vicinity of the Tunnel de la Mort. The four-lane Rue d'Iberville narrows to two lanes in the underpass just north of the intersection before widening again to the south and splitting into two four-lane one-way streets, Iberville (southbound) and Frontenac (northbound). As part of an effort to make the intersection safer, advance signals were installed on the Iberville north and Saint-Joseph east approaches, where flashing yellow lights warn motorists that they are about to come to a red light. All left turns are forbidden at the intersection.
The configuration of this intersection makes it nearly impossible for police to enforce traffic laws. In September 2001, then-minister of transportation Guy Chevrette
cited this particular intersection as an example of a place where it is too dangerous to post a patrol car and highway code enforcement would thus benefit from the use of photo-radar. Finally, on April 4, 2002, roadwork to make the intersection safer began with the demolition of one of the three overpasses, the one above Saint-Joseph Boulevard just west of the intersection. It has been speculated that the remaining two overpasses would be eventually demolished as well, but to this day they are still in place. A major Canadian Pacific Railway
line uses these two overpasses, making it impossible to demolish them in the short term.
According to the Ministère des Transports du Québec, the tunnel should be completely demolished and reconstructed by July 2010.
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
, to the notoriously dangerous intersection of Rue d'Iberville and Boulevard Saint-Joseph, at the border of the Rosemont–La Petite-Patrie
Rosemont–La Petite-Patrie
Rosemont–La Petite-Patrie is a borough in the city of Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It is located in the centre-east of the city.-Geography:...
and Plateau-Mont-Royal
Le Plateau-Mont-Royal
Le Plateau-Mont-Royal is a borough of the city of Montreal, Quebec, Canada.The Plateau-Mont-Royal takes its name from its location on relatively flat terrain north of Sherbrooke Street and downtown, and east of Mont-Royal...
boroughs. The intersection owes this name to the fact it was originally surrounded by three railway overpasses immediately to the north, east, and west of it,More accurately northeast, northwest, and southwest: in Montreal, directions are given relative to the flow of the Saint Lawrence River
Saint Lawrence River
The Saint Lawrence is a large river flowing approximately from southwest to northeast in the middle latitudes of North America, connecting the Great Lakes with the Atlantic Ocean. It is the primary drainage conveyor of the Great Lakes Basin...
, which is considered west to east. All directions in this article are given according to that convention. and by concrete retaining wall
Retaining wall
Retaining walls are built in order to hold back earth which would otherwise move downwards. Their purpose is to stabilize slopes and provide useful areas at different elevations, e.g...
s on all four corners, severely restricting visibility to approaching motorists. Over 250 serious accidents have been reported at that intersection between 1992 and 2002.
Both streets narrow at the approach of this intersection. The east-west Boulevard Saint-Joseph, which is generally six-lanes-wide, narrows to four lanes in the vicinity of the Tunnel de la Mort. The four-lane Rue d'Iberville narrows to two lanes in the underpass just north of the intersection before widening again to the south and splitting into two four-lane one-way streets, Iberville (southbound) and Frontenac (northbound). As part of an effort to make the intersection safer, advance signals were installed on the Iberville north and Saint-Joseph east approaches, where flashing yellow lights warn motorists that they are about to come to a red light. All left turns are forbidden at the intersection.
The configuration of this intersection makes it nearly impossible for police to enforce traffic laws. In September 2001, then-minister of transportation Guy Chevrette
Guy Chevrette
Guy Chevrette served as Parti Québécois leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly of Quebec, Canada, from 1987 to 1989...
cited this particular intersection as an example of a place where it is too dangerous to post a patrol car and highway code enforcement would thus benefit from the use of photo-radar. Finally, on April 4, 2002, roadwork to make the intersection safer began with the demolition of one of the three overpasses, the one above Saint-Joseph Boulevard just west of the intersection. It has been speculated that the remaining two overpasses would be eventually demolished as well, but to this day they are still in place. A major Canadian Pacific Railway
Canadian Pacific Railway
The Canadian Pacific Railway , formerly also known as CP Rail between 1968 and 1996, is a historic Canadian Class I railway founded in 1881 and now operated by Canadian Pacific Railway Limited, which began operations as legal owner in a corporate restructuring in 2001...
line uses these two overpasses, making it impossible to demolish them in the short term.
According to the Ministère des Transports du Québec, the tunnel should be completely demolished and reconstructed by July 2010.