The orange cones that line Montreal’s abundant construction sites have become a symbol of a city under near-constant repair, spawning cone-themed comics, a board game and trinket versions sold in gift shops.

Last week, the Montreal administration unveiled its latest attempt to get a handle on the roadwork chaos that has frustrated motorists with endless detours and sometimes resulted in the same streets being torn up multiple times.

The city announced it was creating a “charter of work sites” that promises to ensure better mobility, safety and co-ordination around construction projects, including by removing those orphaned orange cones that often sit dirty, squashed and forgotten along the streets.

It isn’t the first attempt to better manage the construction chaos in Montreal — ex-mayor Denis Coderre tried naming a traffic czar in 2017, only to have the candidate leave months later after he was the subject of a harassment complaint. Two experts told The Canadian Press they’re not sure how effective the charter will be, but both said it’s worth a try.

Jocelyn Pauzé, a city councillor charged with overseeing work site management, says the goal of the charter is to “limit the impacts of work sites in terms of Montrealers’ quality of life.”

He says it promises to address the need for safer and wider temporary passages for pedestrians, including those with mobility challenges, and to remove cones and no-parking signs when they are no longer needed.

Better communication and environmentally friendly materials are also among the priorities, he said in a recent interview. “We’ve heard Montrealers and we’re listening,” he said.

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