Velo-Quebec releases Réseau vélo métropolitain pour 2031

Wonder what biking in Montreal will look like in 2031, a mere 20 years from now? Want to know what is the vision for the future and where improvements to the bike path network will have to be made to improve bicycle safety and accessibility?

Velo Quebec has just issued a visionary document "Le réseau vélo métropolitain 2031" that will answer all your questions and feed your desire for action on the bicycle accessibility and cycling safety dossier.

The complete document is here in pdf format.

Very interesting and a recommended read for anyone who does urban cycling for fun, exercise or transportation.

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Is this document perfect? In Cycle Fun Montreal's opinion it misses some important details. For example on page 16 it shows a picture of the intersection of Villeneuve and Cote-Ste-Catherine bike path, which has its intersection modified with a narrower roadway at the intersection, effectively removing the road area that would be occupied by bikes.

This means that cars waiting for the green light effectively block bicycles from progressing to cross on the walk signal. This intersection was rebuilt at the same time as the Cote-Ste-Catherine bike path, is part of that bike path's connection to the bike path network on the plateau, and was redesigned contrary to and ignoring of the fact that bicycles and cars have to share the road at this intersection. Velo Quebec should be doing a better job in critiquing these poorly re-designed intersections where the roadway is narrowed to slow car speeds but in fact remove the five feet of roadway needed for bikes to travel on the side of the roads as required by law.

The exact same situation exists at the intersection of Laurier avenue and Cote-Ste-Catherine, with the added pissoff of the walk signal is not being part of the traffic light cycle and therefore bikes have a very difficult time to cross across the roadway at the T-intersection when all cars are turning across the direction of bikes. Bikes need to cross straight across Cote-Ste-Catherine to reach the bike path on the far side. The button that activated the walk cycle is located 25 feet from where bicycles stop and wait for the green light. A very good example of an intersection redesign for pedestrian safety that completely ignores bike safety and the fact this intersection is an important entry point to access the Cote-Ste-Catherine bike path.

The purposeful ignoring of bike safety at redesigned intersections by City of Montreal road planners has to stop.