CDN-NDG borough council calls on city to improve road markings

The Côte-des-Neiges–Notre-Dame-de-Grâce borough council has unanimously passed a motion calling on the city to improve road markings, with a particular focus on putting lines down to delineate crosswalks, school zones and bike lanes.

The amended motion, first proposed by Coun. Marvin Rotrand and passed Monday evening, calls on the city's management services to propose solutions by 2019.

That could include replacing the paint that's currently used with more durable products or hiring private firms to handle the job, as borough councillors and local residents have complained about a lack of paint on the streets.

In June, only 20 per cent of the stop lines were painted in CDN-NDG, according to Rotrand. He also said only four per cent of speed bumps were painted.

The borough has called for crosswalks, school zones and bike lanes to be a priority.

Rotrand said passing the motion was an example of how the council can put partisan politics aside to work toward "real and pragmatic solutions that will spur change."

Sue Montgomery says her team 'has made this a priority'

During Monday night's borough council meeting, Loyola district Coun. Christian Arseneault said multiple city administrations have worked on the issue.

"I think it's important to highlight that many boroughs across the city have been raising this issue over the last few months with our administration," said Arseneault, who represents Projet Montréal.

Once the city realized how widespread the issue was, he said the Plante administration started working toward finding a solution. It proposed a series of minor amendments to the motion before it was passed.

Things "are being done at city hall in order to find a better system," Arseneault said.

After the vote, borough Mayor Sue Montgomery said her team "has made this a priority."

"This is something we want to have improved by next year."

Road markings are the 'first-line of defence': Coun. Perez

Coun. Lionel Perez, who represents Darlington and belongs to Montreal's official opposition party, said the issue is one of public security.

He described lane markings as the "first-line of defence" when it comes to the safety of cyclists, pedestrians and drivers.

"It's always been a struggle of trying to get a little bit better," he said, noting the city wants to have the markings done by the end of May.

Jason Savard, a spokesperson for the Association of Pedestrians and Cyclists of NDG, told CBC News something needs to be done. 

The painted markings, he said, have not been there for "most of the year."

The union representing blue-collar workers, the Syndicat des Cols bleus regroupés de Montréal Local 301, said 150 kilometres of new bike lanes added across the city since 2015 are to blame for the road-painting delays.

Crews are working "tirelessly to provide a quality service to which citizens are entitled," the union said in a statement Monday, just before the ​CDN-NDG council vote.