Montreal unveils new bike path projects

The City of Montreal announced plans Friday for an additional 58 kilometres of bike paths across the city,which would bring the total to 846 kilometres by the end of 2018.

The new paths are provided for in the city's 2017-2018 cycling action plan.

The $20-million plan includes 58 bike path developmentprojects across Montreal and another nine bike path upgrades.

Some of the bike path development projects include:

• Rosemont Boulevard, from 15th Avenue to Chatelain Street (Rosemont-La-Petite-Patrie)
• One lane along de Maisonneuve Boulevard East, from Berri to Alexandre-de-Sve streets, up Alexandre-de-Sve to La Fontaine street, then along La Fontaine to Papineau Avenue (Ville-Marie).
• Faillon Street, from St-Laurent Boulevard to St-Andr Street (Villeray-St-Michel-Parc Extension)
• Elm Avenue, from Montrose Drive to Park Road (Beaconsfield)

The red lines on the following map indicate new developments for 2017-2018.

New "bike boxes" and counters

The city's bike plans for 2017-2018 also include the creation of threenew "bike boxes" by the end of 2017.

A bike box is designated by bright-green painted concrete with a white bicycle symbol. It acts as an advanced stop line that allows cyclists to move ahead of cars when crossing an intersection.

• Montreal introduces its first bike box

Twobike boxes will be added to the intersection at Berri Street and de Maisonneuve Boulevard East and another at Laurier Avenue and Saint-Denis Street.

In 2018, eight bike boxes will be added along Rosemont Boulevard.

The city will also install 23 counters in seven boroughs this summer to monitor the number of cyclists passing by.