Safe active transportation circuits: A plan for summer travel
As part of its fight against COVID-19, Montreal will rethink its public space beginning in June by creating safe active transportation circuits for active transportation. Its objective is for Montrealers to be able to walk and bike safely.
Rethinking public space
Safe active transportation circuits will take different forms depending on the context in which they are implemented. They will be developed to promote cohabitation between pedestrians, cyclists and drivers. On some residential streets, only slow automobile traffic will be allowed in order to make more space for pedestrians and cyclists. Pedestrian streets and new bike paths will also be created.
Travelling safely
By developing safe active transportation circuits, streets can be reconfigured for Montrealers to so that pedestrians and cyclists can travel to parks, schools, essential services and businesses while complying with physical distancing measures, despite waiting lines.
112 km of new bike and walking paths
Beginning in June, five streets will offer 37 km of new paths for pedestrians and 61 additional km for cyclists.
On these safe active transportation circuits, Montrealers can travel between Parc Mont-Royal, Parc Maisonneuve, Parc Jarry and Parc Frédéric-Back. They will run along commercial streets like Boulevard Saint-Laurent, Rue Saint-Denis, Avenue Christophe-Colomb and Avenue du Mont-Royal.
In the second phase, 51 km of new safe active transportation circuits especially for active transportation will be created on six streets.
Montrealers can enjoy these new paths all summer long.
Impact on parking and traffic
Over the next few days, we will be removing parking spaces along certain streets, and changing the configuration to include safe active transportation lanes. Some streets will thereby be reserved for local traffic or for one-way traffic.