39th Tour of the Island | Street closures expected this weekend

Around 40,000 cyclists will parade through the streets of Montreal this weekend, on the occasion of the 39^e edition of the traditional Tour de l’île. Several street closures are expected, but around fifteen crossings for motorists will be in place along the route.

“Montréal is very proud to once again host this major event. In recent years, we have become a globally recognized cycling city,” said the City’s administrative spokesperson, Philippe Sabourin, at a press briefing in front of La Fontaine Park on Tuesday.

Like last year, everything will be done in two stages. First, the departure of the 25^e Tour la nuit will take place this Friday at 8 p.m., at Jeanne-Mance Park, at the corner of avenue du Parc and avenue du Mont-Royal. The route totals 24 kilometers and crosses the streets of Plateau-Mont-Royal, Ville-Marie and Sud-Ouest.

Then, on Sunday, the Tour de l’île will launch around 9:15 a.m., still at Jeanne-Mance Park. This circuit is done over 28 or 50 kilometers, and will cross Le Plateau-Mont-Royal, Rosemont-La-Petite-Patrie, Outremont, Côte-des-Neiges–Notre-Dame-de-Grâce, Westmount, Le Sud -West, Lachine, Verdun and Ville-Marie.

On Friday, the quadrilateral between the Parc and Berri axes, from east to west, then from Saint-Joseph to Viger, will be heavily obstructed. Automobile traffic will also be impossible from Prince Street to Saint-Laurent Boulevard, then from René-Lévesque Boulevard to de la Commune Street, as well as Mill and Bridge Streets. Parking bans will be in place from 1 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. that day.

On Sunday, it will be necessary to plan for blockages from rue Jean-Talon to rue Mill, then from rue Girouard to Berri. The route will ultimately return via LaSalle Boulevard, with incursions along the Lachine Canal, in particular. Parking will be prohibited there from midnight to 4 p.m. The entire Jacques-Cartier Bridge sector, already overloaded by a multitude of road works, will be avoided this year.

Prepare well

Several major arteries nevertheless remain open, such as Sherbrooke Street, the Ville-Marie tunnel and the sector north of Jean-Talon. The City recommends that motorists avoid the Victoria Bridge.

“There will be options for getting around, but it may not be the usual option. If you have to go south, maybe you will have to go north first,” argued the CEO of Vélo Québec, Jean-François Rheault, who says he is doing everything possible “so as not to surprise people” .

In his eyes, this flagship event contributes year after year “to the construction of a cycling culture”. “People are happy to enjoy the city differently. It’s also a first for many people to be able to ride a bike,” explained Mr. Rheault.

Moreover, if the circuit changes every year, “it is to avoid that the negative impacts are always concentrated in the same places”, added the CEO. “There is also the notion of construction sites and pedestrianization of streets with which we must always adjust,” he said.

In the City, Philippe Sabourin affirms that potholes have been filled as a priority in recent days on the Tour de l’île route. “We used around 90 tonnes of asphalt. It’s good for bikes, but it will also be good for motorists later. »

Several construction sites were demobilized for the weekend, notably on Mill and Des Pins streets, or even on Wellington and Bridge streets, where Electric Services Commission construction sites were put on hold. “Our mobility squad will travel the route this week to ensure that there are no potential conflicts with the construction sites,” persisted Mr. Sabourin.

Vélo Québec reminds that “several volunteers, cadets and police officers will be positioned at the intersections of blocked streets to direct motorists” during the two events. A map of the route and the bypass routes can then be given to road users. There are a total of around fifteen crossing points for cars on the route. “Alternative measures” have also been put in place to ensure access to health establishments located near the routes.