Bernard Drainville in the 3rd link: comments discouraging experts

Urban transport experts were left speechless by CAQ candidate Bernard Drainville’s statements on the third link.

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Marie-Hélène Vandersmissen, Director of the Department of Geography at Université Laval, emphasized.

In his opinion, it is “misleading” to say we shouldn’t worry about greenhouse gases because the cars will be electric after the tunnel is completed.

“We know that electric cars are demanding from an environmental point of view. »

Additionally, traffic congestion is likely with the third link. “Electric vehicles,” she explains, “on the contrary do not solve congestion problems. »

She recalled that the construction of new roads encouraged motorists to use their vehicles more.

Ms. Vandersmissen is frustrated with the tangent about the transportation problem in the nation’s capital. “We are in an election campaign and we are hearing a lot of unreasonable things. […] It’s less and less intense. »

Out of date

For her part, ÉNAP’s Fanny Tremblay-Rassicot believes that Bernard Drainville is making outdated comments when he says traffic studies are not needed.

“We have planned transport this way since the 1960s and 1970s. When we have congestion, we increase capacity, but that has a tremendous impact in the medium term,” she stressed.

Before embarking on major projects, it is better to optimize the existing network and establish more efficient public transport, she said.

The next generation

Dominique Villeneuve was also dismayed by Bernard Drainville’s announcements.

“The third link meets the needs of people who travel today,” explains the assistant professor of transport and mobility at Université Laval.

“But the next generation that I teach every day does not want to have a ‘tank’ and wait in traffic with it. It really aspires to have good public transport services and a cycle network that is usable all year round. »