With the 2017 Bixi season now in the books, the agency announced this past year was a record-breaker for the bike-sharing service.
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According to Bixi officials, the number of rides increased by a tenth from the previous year.
Bixi has gradually expanded its service to encompass more than 6,000 bicycles with racks in 11 of Montreal’s boroughs and two independent cities (Westmount and Longueuil).
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Much of this growth occurred after the bike-share spun off from the city in 2014.
Mayor Valérie Plante reiterated her promise to improve transit in the city during her inauguration speech Thursday.
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She had campaigned on improving the city’s bike infrastructure ahead of the Nov. 5 municipal elections.
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Vélo-Québec representatives said they hope to see Bixi become a year-round service, though right now only half of the bike paths get cleared of snow in the winter.
“Bixi’s an amazing stepping stone for people to start biking,” said Vélo-Québec’s Magali Brebonne.
“It’s very good news they’re doing so well.”
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Workers are expected to clear the path on the Jacques Cartier Bridge this winter.
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Cyclists won’t be allowed on it yet, but there are talks it could be part of a pilot project in the future.