After jogger's death, city eyes improvements to Parc Avenue

In the wake of a coroner's report into a collision that killed a woman jogging near Mount Royal, the city says it wants to improve traffic safety in the area — but there are no concrete plans to do so yet.

Last year, 62-year-old Concepción Cortacans was fatally struck while crossing Parc Avenue at a pedestrian crossing light in front of the Sir George-Étienne Cartier monument in Mount Royal Park.

A recently released coroner's report into her death made just one recommendation: improve signage in the area.

• Driver glanced at GPS map moments before striking Parc Avenue jogger last year, coroner says

But Aref Salem, the executive committee member in charge of transportation, said the design of Parc Avenue reflects a mentality that no longer makes sense.

"You cannot have six, seven [lanes] in the streets of Montreal," said Salem in an interview on CBC's Daybreak.

He said the city is looking at ways to improve traffic safety in the area, whether that's by converting some lanes into bicycle paths or adding trees and other greenery.

"We are asking our engineers to intervene on behalf of security more than mobility," he said.

Changes forthcoming?

A city bus was stopped in the first lane at the crossing light when Cortacans stepped onto Parc Avenue, jogging past the bus and into the second lane of traffic, where she was struck by a vehicle that ran a red light.

Salem said the fact that the bus stop is right at the crossing light is problematic, and that will be looked at, as well.

After the fatal collision, city engineers were asked to look at a number of streets and devise ways they can be made safer.

As part of the Vision Zéro plan, which aims to decrease the number of pedestrian and cyclist deaths to zero, the city created a list of 146 intersections where safety is supposed to be improved by the end of the year.

However, it is unclear which intersections are on that list and how, exactly, they are being changed.

Opposition wants photo radar, signage 

Salem refuted claims by opposition Projet Montréal councillors who have accused the city of moving too slowly to improve safety.

While the opposition wants to see more photo radar in the area, the power to install the cameras comes from the province, he said. And calls for better signage will be addressed, he said.

However, there is no timeline for the changes.