Montrealers Filed Hundreds Of Complaints About Bike Paths & Other Street Changes This Year
If this past summer in Montreal was marked by one thing, it had to be the explosion of cyclists on the roads. Biking has never been so popular but with popularity comes criticism, especially from those who believe bikes and Montreal bike paths are the scourge of the Earth.
And boy, did those people complain. A recent report released by the Ombudsman of Montreal (OdM) reveals that since May 2020, over 300 formal complaints from citizens were lodged against the city over biking and its related infrastructure.
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Citizens should not, under any circumstances, bear the cost of these logistical headaches.
Nadine Mailloux, Ombudsman of Montreal
The Ombudsman's report says that many of the complaints were against the management and purpose of projects such as the Réseau Express Vélo (REV) and the temporary Voies actives sécuritaires (VAS) bike paths.
Of the over 300 complaints, 240 cases were investigated in-depth by the Ombudsman's office.
As a result, the OdM laid out 15 recommendations for the city to improve its planning, coordination, and implementation of bike paths for a harmonious coexistence with cars, pedestrians, and anything else you might find on the road.
Among the recommendations to the city are better coordination of large-scale projects like the VAS, improvement to its planning to factor in public transit and other forms of transport, and increased transparency between the city and citizens when outlining large projects like the REV.
This article's cover image is used for illustrative purposes only.
