Autoroute Métropolitaine

Crossing the Island of Montreal, the Autoroute Métropolitaine stands as a vital artery. It’s a 21-kilometer stretch of Highway 40. Sometimes, people simply call it “The Met.” It’s also officially part of the Trans-Canada Highway. The Autoroute Métropolitaine isn’t just a road. It’s a story of Montreal’s growth and evolution. The idea for a metropolitan boulevard to bypass downtown Montreal emerged in 1929. However, the Great Depression and World War II delayed the project. The initial stretch, from Décarie to Pie-IX Boulevard (exits 66 to 76), opened in 1959. It became one of Canada’s first urban expressways. It was initially designed to handle 70,000 vehicles daily. But within a year, it was already congested during rush hour, with 8,300 vehicles per hour. This led to discussions about encircling Montreal with expressways. The Autoroute Métropolitaine wasn’t originally intended to be part of the Trans-Canada Highway. It wasn’t even meant to be Montreal Island’s main east-west route. Its primary purpose was to relieve congestion on local roads. In 1960, the newly elected Premier Jean Lesage fulfilled his campaign promise to build Quebec’s portion of the Trans-Canada Highway. His predecessor, Maurice Duplessis, had consistently refused. Plans changed in 1961. The existing Autoroute Métropolitaine was incorporated into the Trans-Canada Highway. Federal funding accelerated its westward extension by 16 kilometers to Sources Boulevard in 1963. It reached Langelier Boulevard eastward by 1965. The Décarie Interchange opened in 1960 to connect the future Décarie Expressway with the Autoroute Métropolitaine. The Autoroute Métropolitaine has sections built on elevated viaducts. One short section (500 meters) crosses the Deux-Montagnes commuter train line. Another longer section (5.4 kilometers) spans from Esplanade Avenue to Colbert Street. This reflects the initial decision to elevate the highway to integrate it with the local grid, particularly in the residential areas near Mount Royal, separating it from the industrial zone. Interestingly, unlike the Décarie Expressway which runs below ground level, the Métropolitaine was elevated. This was because altering Montreal’s north-south oriented sewer and water systems would have been a massive undertaking. Two sections of the Autoroute Métropolitaine stand elevated. The speed limit changes along its route. It’s 70 km/h between kilometers 66 and 80, then increases to 100 km/h for the eastern portion, between kilometers 80 and 87. Today, the Autoroute Métropolitaine shares the title of Quebec’s busiest highway with the Décarie Expressway. It sees an average of 199,000 vehicles daily around kilometer 67. The Autoroute Métropolitaine remains a symbol of Montreal’s complex relationship with urban development and transportation. It has been and continues to be an important route across the island.