Mayors ask that bike lanes be built next to REM roads

The road would cover 20 kilometers of the railway line and would link Laval and the north coast with the island of Montreal.

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All the necessary players seem to agree on a plan for a cycle path along part of the Réseau express métropolitain, but it seems unclear who would build such a project.

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On Monday, the mayors of four boroughs proposed a 20-kilometre path along the Deux-Montagnes branch of the REM, a nearly $7 billion network of driverless trains linking the south coast to the airport, downtown the city, the west island and the north. Coast. In an open letter, the mayors called on REM builders to take advantage of delays in the construction process and build a bike path to connect the cities along the North Branch to the mouth of the Mount Royal Tunnel. Called Véloroute, the route would link the cities of Deux-Montagnes and St-Eustache with Laval, Dollard-des-Ormeaux and Mount Royal, as well as the districts of Pierrefonds-Roxboro, Ahuntsic-Cartierville and St-Laurent.

St-Laurent County Mayor Alan DeSousa said that without any train service through the Mount Royal Tunnel until at least the end of 2024, building such a bike path could be a good alternative. It could be used by fair-weather cyclists at least three-quarters of the year, he said, and connect to good public transportation options at its southern end.

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“If there are no options for public transportation, there is a very good chance that people will use their cars,” DeSousa said. “One of the options could be a path through the same corridor as the REM itself. It is not the only option, but for nine months of the year, for people who want to go downtown, they can have access (by bicycle)”.

DeSousa said the road shouldn’t take long to build and could be in service even before the REM starts operating. The initial idea was to connect St-Laurent to Roxboro along the side of the REM tracks. A 1.4-kilometer stretch of road has already been built to link Toupin Blvd. to the Bois-Franc station at Marcel-Laurin Blvd.

The trail would also be a boon to recreation in the region, as it would connect to several natural parks and could be used by joggers.

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St-Eustache Mayor Pierre Charron agreed, saying it’s a common sense idea. He added that it would also make it easier for pedestrians to access the stations.

“When we think about urban mobility, we should absolutely have bike access and good pedestrian access to all stations,” Charron said. “Such a link would be very important for St-Eustache. I think the work needs to be done right away, rather than building the whole project and then going back years later.”

Reacting to the idea, Vélo Québec CEO Jean-François Rheault agreed that it would benefit the area. He said the timing may be perfect for such a proposal to come true.

“It has been discussed for the last five years. At first, CDPQ Infra, the builder of the REM, said it was too early and then when construction started they said it was too late,” Rheault said. “But now that there’s this delay, the timing is really good.”

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He added that it would be useful for CDPQ Infra to add a bicycle element to the project, because the easiest way to access the stations will be by bicycle.

“This would make it much easier to compete with the private car and would be a great way to make the project much more sustainable,” he said.

He added that the new Confederation Line in Ottawa has that path, as does the SkyTrain in Vancouver that links New Westminster to downtown.

Speaking to CDPQ Infra, Emmanuelle Rouillard-Moreau said that the organization is in favor of such a project and presented the results of a study to the city of Montreal. She said the decision to go ahead now rests with the city.

“The study highlights certain development opportunities that the city could take advantage of to eventually implement such a bike corridor,” Rouillard-Moreau wrote in a statement. “We will accompany the authorities in carrying out such connections, respecting all restrictions, in particular, those related to the safety of workers, future cyclists and passengers of the REM.”

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Marikym Gaudreault, a spokeswoman for the city’s executive committee, said the project is a priority for the city.

“We share a desire to see a cycling link along the REM,” Gaudreault wrote. “We are already working with the (Autorité régionale de transport métropolitain), the districts and the cities to propose solutions to CDPQ Infra to bring this project to light.”

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