New rail bypass coming for Lac Megantic, five years after deadly derailment
Posted May 11, 2018 8:28 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
A new railway bypass has been announced for the town of Lac Megantic, five years after a train derailment that destroyed much of the town’s centre and claimed dozens of lives.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau helped make the announcement today, by declaring the railway track will leave Lac Megantic’s downtown core for good.
“The government of Canada and the government of Quebec have reached an agreement in principle to jointly fund the rail bypass project.”
The new route will now take trains around the municipality, instead of through the centre of the town. It’s expected to cost $133 million and should be in place by 2022.
The federal transport minister says the government is committed to rail safety across the country and has banned certain types of tanker cars, as well as applied stricter speed limits.
Trudeau calls the new bypass an important step to help heal the wounds of a community that has been through so much.
But he acknowledges that even with the new route, people may still face risks if something goes wrong. “Any path is going to have consequences on some individuals.”
In 2013, 47 people were killed when a runaway train carrying crude oil derailed and exploded in the centre of the town.
