Construction of a Pedestrian Tunnel for the New CHUM - Complete Closure of Viger Avenue as of March 12, 2012

MONTREAL, March 1, 2012 /CNW Telbec/ - Construction of a major pedestrian tunnel linking the hospital to its Research centre will require the complete closure of Viger Avenue between Saint-Denis and Sanguinet streets, as of March 12. The work is scheduled to be completed by the first week of June 2012 and will be performed on a virtually round-the-clock basis by Construction Santé Montréal, an integral unit of Collectif Santé Montréal, which is responsible for the design, construction, financing and maintenance of the new hospital.

The 22-metre long, 11-metre wide tunnel "is a key component of the hospital," said CHUM spokesperson Jacques Morency, Associate Director of the new CHUM project. "Running beneath Viger Avenue, it will complete an underground route linking the new CHUM's buildings, as well as the Champs-de-Mars metro station. Consisting of three separate corridors—one transporting utilities (water, natural gas, steam, etc.), another for CHUM staff and a third for the public—the tunnel will boost the sector's safety and improve pedestrian flow," he added.

Hector Martinez, Project Director for Construction Santé Montréal said, "Complete closure of Viger for a period of a bit less than three months is the most significant obstacle we expect to be caused by this project at the heart of Montreal's Health District. We will make every effort to limit its impact. All those involved in this exceptional development are cooperating in the endeavour," he added.

The Collectif Santé Montréal and CHUM have worked closely with a number of official bodies—including the ministère des Transports du Québec, Ville de Montréal, arrondissement de Ville-Marie, the Commission des services électriques de Montréal, the Montréal police department (SPVM), the Montréal fire department (SSIM) and Urgences-santé—to deploy initiatives aimed at minimizing the street closure's impact. Secure detours have been created to ensure the safety of road users, pedestrians and cyclists.

To obtain project updates on a real-time basis and information on detours planned during the work, please visit www.nouveauchum.com.

About the Collectif Santé Montréal
The Collectif Santé Montréal is a consortium consisting of Innisfree Canada Ltd., Obrascon Huarte Lain, S.A. (OHL), Laing O'Rourke Corporation Ltd. (Laing O'Rourke) and Dalkia Canada Inc. Its mission is to design, build, finance and maintain the future CHUM. Two separate project construction phases will take place over a nine-year period, starting in 2011. Operating under the name Construction Santé Montréal Construction, contractors Laing O'Rourke and OHL are drawing on the experience of many major regional and international subcontractors, such as Cannon Design (Canada) and DCYSA (Montreal) architects, HH Angus, Pasquin St-Jean, Roche and Groupe SM engineers and Montréal construction firms EBC and Magil. Once construction has been completed, Dalkia Canada Inc. will be responsible for CHUM's maintenance over a 30-year period.

About CHUM
The Centre hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal (CHUM) is the largest French-language teaching hospital in North America. Acclaimed for the excellent care it provides and the vast experience of its specialists, CHUM receives over half a million patients annually from Greater Montreal and throughout Quebec. CHUM applies innovative approaches to healthcare, research, health promotion and the knowledge transfer process. Backed by a solid legacy, CHUM is preparing for the future with ongoing construction of new facilities and a research centre in downtown Montreal. This all-inclusive project in a single venue is valued at some $2.5 billion. The CHUM Research Centre will open its doors in 2013. The new CHUM, a world-class teaching hospital geared to the needs of a community in which it plays a major role, will be inaugurated in 2016. CHUM seeks to maintain a socially aware perspective of sustainable development and a coordinated approach to urban planning. CHUM is also an active member of the Réseau universitaire intégré de santé (RUIS) de l'Université de Montréal. nouveauchum.com

Sources: 
Centre hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal (CHUM)
Collectif Santé Montréal

FFI:  
Lucie Dufresne
Communications Adviser
Centre hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal (CHUM)
Tel.: [phone], ext. 15380
Pager: 514-860-7110