The covering of the Ville-Marie expressway has probably been the most striking intervention of the Quartier international project, as it allowed the transformation of an unstructured urban area cut through by a trench into a contemporary, prestigious and convivial neighbourhood. Note that the creation of a new urban space in the heart of Montreal was one of the main objectives of the Quartier international project. In order to achieve this, the covering of the expressaway – so as to redevelop the land above-ground – was primordial.

The recent extension of the Palais des congrès (Montreal’s main convention center), the northern section of Place Jean-Paul Riopelle, the CPD Capital Centre as well as the northern part of Square Victoria are all located where there was once a trench highway. It goes without saying that the covering of the expressway would not have been possible without the participation of the Palais des congrès and that of the Caisse de depot et de placement du Québec.