Motorists aren’t the only ones complaining about street closures around Grand Prix activities in downtown Montreal.
Cyclists are concerned that the de Maisonneuve Boulevard bike path detours around the Crescent Street party site are a disaster waiting to happen.
As of Wednesday, the city closed parts of Crescent and nearby streets for Grand Prix weekend. Travelling west, the detour starts at Drummond Street, where cyclists are forced to cross from the south side of de Maisonneuve to the north.
Confusion continues all the way to Mackay.
Some cyclists worry that the way it’s set up, especially at Drummond, puts cyclists and pedestrians at risk.
“We have to cross from one side of the street to another,” said cyclist Jackie Morrison, speaking with Global News. “If we’re doing it at a red light we have to mix up with the pedestrians, otherwise we’re fighting traffic.”
“Everybody is upset when they see all these roadblocks,” Morrison said.
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Cyclists said there should have been better signage because it’s not always clear where the makeshift bike lanes are, and drivers don’t always see the cyclists.
Some think keeping the bike lane on the south side would be safer.
But others, like Laurence Motillon, think that it’s better than nothing.
“For me it’s very convenient because at least I can pass,” she said. “So I’m pleased. It’s not totally closed.”
That, City of Montreal spokesperson Philippe Sabourin said, was the aim because they didn’t want to close the bike lane entirely.
“We wanted to avoid closing the de Maisonneuve bike path,” he explained, “because it’s one of the most important routes in the city.”
He acknowledged that the situation around Crescent isn’t perfect, and said that city officials are monitoring the situation and will make changes if needed.