Montreal’s REV Jean-Talon express bike network

Montreal launched calls for tenders for the seventh portion of its Express Bike Network (REV) for Jean-Talon and Bélanger Street on Monday. 

The first section of about 1.8 kilometres will be ready by the fall, La Presse reported, but the direction will only be going east for at least a year.

The City of Montreal will award a contract by the spring for development work on the first section of the REV Jean-Talon.

The path will initially only go east, between Boyer Street and 1st Avenue, and the development of this bike path will lead to the removal of a car lane.

In the other direction, cyclists will be able to ride on Bélanger Street, approximately 500 meters south of Jean-Talon Street.

However, work on the Bélanger axis will not be launched until the following summer, in 2025.

With a single lane for cyclists on Jean-Talon, Montreal wants to avoid having to compromise on other urban developments, like drop-off points for people with reduced mobility.

A 15 km long route in the long term

Public Health warned at the beginning of February that more than 51 per cent of collisions occurred near a major road among five to 12-year-olds and 20 to 30 per cent of schools are located less than 100 metres from an arterial road.

City data obtained by La Presse shows 37 collisions on Jean-Talon Street since 2014, including four fatalities and 33 with serious injuries, most often at completely different intersections.

Eight collisions with serious injuries occurred on the first section, between Boyer Street and 1st Avenue.

On Bélanger Street, there were 12 collisions recorded during the same period, including three fatalities and nine with serious injuries.

Ultimately, the City of Montreal plans to develop the REV Jean-Talon over a total distance of 15 kilometres, between Lacordaire and Décarie, which would be longer than all the current cycle paths in the metropolis.

Quebec group denounces REV setbacks

Souliers et vélos fantômes Québec (SVFQ) is denouncing the inconsistencies associated with the recent developments of the REV and is calling on the municipal administration to remember Montreal Mayor Valérie Plante’s vision from her first term in office.

Séverine Le Page is the spokesperson for Souliers et vélos fantômes Québec.

She claims the configuration of the REV Jean-Talon/Bélanger is incompatible within the safety and efficiency objectives that should be within every bike lane design.

“By imposing a significant diversions on cyclists, the city is going back on its Vision Zero commitments, which are to do everything possible to protect vulnerable road users, as well as encouraging as many people as possible to cycle, a factor that also improves safety.”

Also, five years after the network was announced, only the Saint-Denis/Lajeunesse BRT meets the 2019 criteria and the other bike routes are either incomplete or unprotected.

“At this rate, it will take several decades to complete the 17 routes of the REV,” said Le Page.

It is still unclear when the other phases of the network will be delivered.