Work finally starting on de Maisonneuve bike lane

Montreal cyclists have been waiting for it to happen for months so, being a cyclist, I was very happy to see that the city has finally started building the downtown portion of the bike lane network along boulevard de Maisonneuve.

The new 3 metre wide section will connect the bike lane running along de Maisonneuve in Westmount and NDG to the north/south-bound lane along Berri. The new addition between these two will finally connect the extensive network of bike lanes on the east end to the smaller network on the west. It will also be the first and only bike lane to run through the downtown core and will therefore undoubtedly become one of the most used lanes in the city.

The new lane is expected to open by the end of the year and cost 3.5 million dollars. It will flow through 39 intersections and eliminate over 200 parking spaces along the south side of the street costing the city 1.2 million dollars per year in lost parking revenues.

I predict that we will see many more cyclists on the road and especially more commuters as a result of the extension. Downtown has been long overdue for a bike lane and the east and west side networks have suffered due to not having a central connection, which this will correct. Furthermore, many cyclists are not comfortable riding on the four main thoroughfares of Downtown and will be much more willing to commute to work or ride to the other ends of the city with this new bike lane. Lets hope this is just the beginning of City Hall’s promise to double the island’s bike lanes by 2012.