Cobblestone street in Old Montreal being repaired

Construction crews work on St. Paul St. in Old Montreal (CTV Montreal/JL Boulch)

Construction crews have begun removing cobblestones from St. Paul St. in Old Montreal as the first part of plan to upgrade the street.

Last fall the city announced a $35 million plan to repair buildings, facades, and the street itself.

Sewer and water lines running underground, some of which date to the 19th century, will also be replaced.

The sidewalks along St. Paul will be made wider, and a new granite barrier will be installed between the street and the sidewalk.

The cobblestones on the street will be repaired and replaced.

Work is expected to take place in three parts, with the first section covering the street from Berri St. to Place Jacques Cartier. The entire 1.3 street will be repaired by the end of 2018.

Work began on St. Paul St. 18 months ago, with Gaz Metro ripping out cobblestones down the middle of the street in order to fix gas lines.

They repaired the road with asphalt which prompted many complaints, including from Mayor Denis Coderre, and so as a temporary fix the asphalt was styled with a brick-like design.