City’s plan connects residents to major parks, makes streets pedestrian-friendly

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Avleen K. Mokha
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By Avleen K Mokha

Montreal mayor Valerie Plante announced today morning a plan to transform the city’s circulation. The Safe Active Pathways circuit will allow Montrealers to safely reach the city’s parks and several major commercial streets. 

Graphic demonstrating the connections that make up the Safe Active Pathways circuit.
Graphic demonstrating the city-wide connections which make up the Safe Active Pathways circuit. Photo: Screenshots / City of Montreal

“The coming summer risks being very different from the summers we are used to,” the City’s statement read. “Since a large part of the population of Montreal will probably remain in town during the summer, it was our duty to offer it a pleasant and safe city that will allow the population to move without hassle.”

Two phases

The Safe Active Pathways circuit will connect to existing transport networks like the Express Bike Network (REV).

This work also aims to add pedestrian and cycling corridors which connect to major parks such as the Mont-Royal, Maisonneuve, Jarry, FrĂ©dĂ©ric-Back and ĂŽle-de-la-Visitation parks.

Phase 1 will begin at the beginning of June, in accordance with public health guidelines. 

Phase 2 will include the development of 6 additional pedestrian and bicycle corridors, totaling 51 km. The city will also establish new sanitary corridors in Phase 2.

The main figures

Temporary pedestrian and bicycle paths will be created this summer in the COVID-19 context, namely:

  • 112 km of Safe Active Pathways;
  • 88 km of streets redesigned for pedestrians and cyclists (slow streets, shared streets, family and active streets, pedestrian streets, temporary cycle lanes, etc.) by boroughs;

The following permanent infrastructural changes will take place this summer:

  • 24 new kilometers of the Express Bike Network (REV);
  • 33 new kilometers of the non-REV cycling network;
  • 70 new kilometers of local cycling network, planned by the boroughs.

The City aims to build a total of 327 km of new pedestrian and bicycle paths this summer.

Major streets

â—Ź      Mont-Royal – Rachel : Make Mont-Royal Avenue pedestrian-friendly and create a pedestrian and cycling corridor on Rachel Street in the Rosemont – La Petite-Patrie borough. These axes will link the Mont-Royal, La Fontaine and Maisonneuve parks.

â—Ź      Christophe-Colomb : Create a multifunctional corridor along the axis of avenue Christophe-Colomb. This axis will link the St. Lawrence River to the Rivière des Prairies. The FrĂ©dĂ©ric-Back and Jarry parks will connect to this network.

â—Ź      Saint-Laurent : Add a unidirectional cycle path, create more space for pedestrians, and develop terraces on pavement on Saint-Laurent boulevard, when public health allows.

â—Ź      Saint-Urbain : Double the cycle paths, like on rue de Rivoli in Paris.

â—Ź      Saint-Denis : Begin work on the Express Bike Network (REV). In partnership with SDC Saint-Denis, the City will find solutions to develop the space in a safe manner.

Click below to watch the City’s announcement (French):

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