Parc / des Pins Intersection

John of MidnightPoutine recently posted his musings on the subject of the new intersection of Ave du Parc & des Pins:

http://www.midnightpoutine.ca/montreal/2006/11/memories_of_an_ugly_intersection/

I have to say that I basically agree with him. It does look better, but... something is still missing. People, to be sure. Just like drivers still haven't learned anything about the new traffic lights, pedestrians still seem to consider this to be a "can't walk there" zone.... May be a bike track would help to encourage the circulation of people across (admittedly more accessible) lanes.

Post your ideas and suggestions, if you have any. Not that anyone would do anything about them, but it would be nice to diagnose the problem.

BTW, I posted a semi-relevant photo:

http://www.montrealbits.com/photos/leo-pariseau-du-parc-1.html

That's what it looked like 2 months ago.

And another one:

http://www.montrealbits.com/photos/intersection_parc_pins_1.html

P.S. See? That's what I am getting at! We need somebody to actually cross those lanes, casually.... I can only wonder where the two suits are coming from (Parc Jeanne-Mance, obviously) and what's inside those briefcases. I'll leave it to your imagination...

I have started crossing from time to time at this intersection on my way home just in the last few weeks...It is actually rather efficient, though there is still some touching up to do with all the unsightly gavel and concrete barriers lying around...we shall see...

Here's a good post with a historical perspective.

It shows the beautiful houses that were bulldozed in 1959 in order to make way for that horrible structure that doesn't even exist now and was perhaps never really necessary.

http://coolopolis.blogspot.com/2007/03/they-paved-paradise-put-up-interchange.html

Complete with 1959 drawings of the project.