Streetscapes in Motion: Urban Remediation of Public Space and Road Infrastructure

Abstract

When undertaking the renovation of large-scale road infrastructure, there is a unique design opportunity to reconsider the role of road networks and their effect on our contemporary urban landscape. This study analyses Montreal’s trenched Décarie Expressway to explore the potential space created by road infrastructure and its role as a key element in urban renewal. The urban design takes shape according to the specific characteristics of the neighborhoods adjacent to the Décarie axis. Remediation of these neighborhoods occurs here by introducing public spaces and inserting real-estate development over the expressway. The design concentrates on connecting pedestrian paths along a new public plinth. Since we have inherited the road infrastructure developed by modern car culture, we must begin to envision transportation infrastructure as an opportunity for public spaces with real three-dimensional connectivity that would marry civic needs with cultural amenities and ultimately symbolize the physical rehabilitation of the Décarie axis.