Rosemont-La Petite-Patrie is moving toward making cyclists more comfortable with a new pilot project.
A foot and hand rest has been installed at the corner of Boyer and Belanger, the first of its kind in Montreal. Boyer has one of the area’s busiest bike paths, and cyclists waiting at the intersection now have extra support as they wait for the light to turn green.
“I think it’s fantastic! You’re always looking for a place to put your foot and balance. For a guy my age, I need something I can hold with one hand, foot on the other,” one cyclist told Global News.
The installations cost $700-$800 each, and some think they’re a waste of money.
“Putting your foot on the sidewalk costs less than this,” said another cyclist in the area.
The borough says the idea has already taken hold in certain cities in Poland and the United States.
Cycling advocates at Velo-Quebec appreciate the gesture. But after a cyclist was killed by a truck last week in Rosemont, they wish the borough would prioritize keeping cyclists safe.
READ MORE: Cyclist killed after colliding with tanker truck in Montreal’s east end
“It’s a nice thing to have but it’s a small detail,” said Velo Quebec Research Co-ordinator Marc Jolicoeur. “I think they’re much better to put emphasis on traffic-calming in the neighbourhood and things like that.
The borough says six more footrests are on the way to the Boyer bike path, and that they are evaluating all the criticism they get during the pilot project. If feedback is good, they could be rolled out all over the area.
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