Montreal metro riders should be aware that escalators in multiple stations will be replaced and may not be available temporarily. The Montreal public transit authority (STM) said 58 of the network’s 298 escalators will be replaced in 17 stations over the next five years. Jean-Talon’s aging escalators will be the first ones replaced. “The replacements are necessary due to the aging condition of the escalators, which have an average age of 40 years,” the STM said in a news release. “The work will help reduce breakdowns and service interruptions, shorten travel times within stations through faster movement, and improve accessibility for customers carrying heavy loads or experiencing intermediate mobility challenges.” One escalator at the Jean-Talon station will operate until 2032 without passengers for training purposes. The STM said the “training escalator” will test corrective measures before it’s implemented. The following metro stations are first up on the repair schedule: After next year, Iberville, Outremont, McGill, Acadie, De Castelnau, and Côte-Vertu escalators will be replaced in 2028, and Peel’s will be swapped in 2029.
