The City of Montreal has unveiled an ambitious plan to add 200 km of new bike lanes over the next five years.
With the number of cyclists continuing to rise, the Plante administration says it’s time to make it easier and safer for them to get around.
Montreal says the number of cyclists peddling through the city has rolled up 20 per cent since the beginning of the year, adding 12 million trips.
The Réseau Express Vélo on St-Denis Boulevard has been so popular that the city thinks its time to green light a whole lot more.
“This bicycle vision is the most complete bicycle plan ever produced by the City of Montreal, and we’re proud of it,” said Sophie Mauzerolle, executive committee member responsible for mobility.
In its new plan, dubbed “Vision Vélo 2023-2027,” the city is pledging to spend $30 million per year for five years to vastly expand the network of secured bike paths.
“The inter-neighbourhood network will also gain kilometres in 17 of the 19 boroughs of Montreal,” said Marianne Giguère, the associate councillor on the executive committee for cycling measures. “It’s a big deal.”
A vast bike highway in the West Island in conjunction with the REM light-rail train network will be one of the 40 new projects.
In the east, brand-new secured bike lanes will be coming to underserved Montreal North, including on Lacordaire.
“These people can’t use any bikes now because because there is no good way to go,” said Montreal North bike safety advocate Jean-François Gagné. “It’s not safe.”
Jean-Talon Boulevard will be among the 10 new additions to the Réseau Express Vélo.
It will be getting a St-Denis-like makeover to make more room for bikes.
Advocates believe the plan will prevent injuries and deaths.
“The number of people that have been injured on St-Denis was like 300 in the last eight years. When we build safer roads, we save lives,” said Vélo Quebec president Jean-François Rhéault.
The city does not yet know when construction will begin on any of the projects, or how many parking spots will be removed.
Some wish Projet Montréal would spend energy making things easier for motorists.
“There’s plus, plus, plus for the cyclists and minus, minus, minus for the drivers,” said traffic expert Rick Leckner, who said he would like to see the Plante administration add capacity for cars at the same time as it adds capacity for bikes.
Projet Montréal says promoting cycling is vital in the fight against climate change, and that the new paths will help business like they did on St-Denis.
“We have some great numbers on St-Denis,” said Mauzerolle. “There’s been a decrease in the amount of empty businesses.”
“The idea is to find a way to bring it to the street in a way that everyone is at ease with it and that no special needs are forgotten,” said Giguère.
They say they’ll do everything they can to coordinate with other construction projects to minimize impacts on motorists and businesses.