Montreal's Ghost Bike Group Is Demanding The City Do More After Yet Another Fatal Crash

Cycling advocacy group Vélo Fantôme, Montreal's ghost bike organization, is shaken by a recent collision that left a 66-year-old cyclist dead. The group's spokesperson Séverine Le Page tells MTL Blog that "more needs to be done" to protect cyclists in Montreal.

"The administration and the mayor need to work faster to bring better infrastructure for cyclists," Le Page said.

The fatal collision occurred on the corner of rue de Liège and boulevard Saint-Laurent on Tuesday. A 66-year-old cyclist was struck by a truck turning right onto de Liège and was trapped under the vehicle until the fire department was able to free him.

The man later died at the hospital.

For the advocates at Vélo Fantôme, the man's death was a preventable tragedy.

"The city wasn't built for all these cars, bikes and pedestrians," Le Page explained, "but we're still seeing more large cars and trucks on the road than ever before."

Citing programs like the REV Saint-Denis, Le Page hopes that the city moves to make cycling even more accessible on large arteries such as boulevard Saint-Laurent.

Le Page also said that the city should take inspiration from programs such as London's Direct Vision Standard and regulate the passage of large trucks through the city.

Should the victim's family reach out to them, Le Page said that Vélo Fantôme will install a ghost bike at the intersection to honour his memory.

Most recently, the organization installed a ghost bike at the corner of avenues du Parc and du Mont-Royal to honour the memory of Andrea Rovere, a 31-year-old postdoctoral student who died in a fatal hit-and-run with a truck in September.