Montreal woman says roadwork leaves homes cut off, unable to leave by car

A Montreal woman returned from a 10-day vacation to find her driveway and walkway on Kensington Avenue completely severed from the street by ongoing major infrastructure work. Alison Aylward described the situation as shocking, with several neighbors echoing her sentiment, alleging they received minimal or no advance warning about the construction.

“

Either I catapult or zipline, or a possible leap in an inelegant gazelle-like fashion.

Aylward, who was on a trip to Newfoundland, discovered that the roadwork had effectively cut off vehicular access to her property. She humorously remarked about needing to "catapult or zipline" to get to her home. The project is part of a significant road reconstruction initiative in the Notre-Dame-de-Grâce neighborhood.

While some residents received a notice, it was often only the day before work commenced, as was the case for neighbor Natalie Solomon. Others who spoke to Global News anonymously reported receiving notices only after construction had already begun. Beyond the personal inconvenience, Aylward highlighted the impact on her volunteer work with NDG Caring Cooks, an organization that prepares meals for families in need. She expressed concern about distributing 40 liters of gazpacho while navigating the construction.

“

Certainly a little preemptive notice would have been appreciated.

Safety is another major concern. Solomon, a mother of two, described the situation as "dangerous" with a stroller and young children. Residents like Charles Marroni questioned the site manager's awareness of STM bus routes passing through the area. Solomon further worried about the narrow space left for larger vehicles, questioning if emergency services like ambulances or fire trucks could pass safely.

“

There was a letter that was sent. We received it the day before everything started.

The Côte-des-Neiges, Notre-Dame-de-Grâce borough acknowledged that disruptions such as traffic issues, parking shortages, machinery, noise, and dust are unavoidable during major infrastructure projects. They stated that contractors notify residents before work begins, citing a notice distributed around July 1 for Kensington Avenue. However, residents maintain that this notice was too late, arguing for at least a month's advance warning.

“

We’re in the middle of a distribution to 54 people, 18 families, that count on us about four to six times a year. I have 40 litres of gazpacho I’m in there trying to make.