Montreal North community wants new bike paths, none in over 40 years
Posted June 15, 2022 12:35 pm.
Last Updated June 15, 2022 7:15 pm.
Cycling advocates want more bike paths in Montreal North. None have been built in over 40 years.
“Bike paths for the Montreal North community is important considering the poverty and vulnerability that we have. Giving more bike paths is giving Montreal North more opportunity,” said Fatima Gabriela Salazar Gomez, a spokesperson for the Montreal North Secure Mobility Association.
“It’s very simple, once we build more bike paths, it’s safer for everybody,” added Jean-François Gagné, the group’s other spokesperson.
The community held a demonstration in the borough last Sunday, cycling together to get more bike paths.
“Nothing is being done for more than 40 years. This is the result of non activity of our government,” said Salazar Gomez.
The Montreal North Secure Mobility Association has proposed a detailed bike path plan to the borough.
“We have two priorities. One bike path would be put east to west from Ahuntsic to Montreal North and then to RDP. This would go across 75 per cent of the schools of the borough. And, we want a bike path south going to Saint-Leonard. Because the only way for a cyclist to go south is to ride five to seven kilometers,” explained Gagné.
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In a statement to CityNews, the Montreal North borough says it is analyzing different scenarios for new bike paths, which will be presented to the City of Montreal by the fall in order to get the funding to make them a reality.
“Montreal North is well aware of the importance of implementing safe bike paths,” said borough Mayor Christine Black. “But at the same time we need to develop a bicycle culture within the borough’s population. Over the last few years, we’ve multiplied awareness campaigns, including Vélo-Québec’s “Cycliste averti” program, which was taught in many of the borough’s schools.”
In May, Mayor Valérie Plante announced the City of Montreal would invest $17 million to improve existing bike paths and build new ones.
