Bike paths are often cleared quickly after snowfall due to their smaller area compared to sidewalks and streets. The City of Montreal uses specialized equipment for this task, which allows for efficient removal without disrupting other snow clearing efforts. Despite fewer winter cyclists, maintaining bike paths supports safe travel and encourages active transportation. Additionally, clear bike paths can benefit pedestrians, providing safe routes for those with strollers or mobility challenges. Year-round bike-sharing further emphasizes their importance.
Understanding the Priority of Bike Path Clearing
After a significant snowfall, you might notice that bike paths are often cleared before sidewalks and streets. While this may create the impression that cycling infrastructure is given precedence, the reality is a bit more nuanced. Let’s delve into the reasons behind this phenomenon.
The Efficiency of Clearing Bike Paths
The clearing of bike paths does not take place before that of sidewalks and streets; rather, it requires considerably less time due to the smaller area involved. Philippe Sabourin, the administrative spokesperson for the City of Montreal, highlights that there are significantly fewer bike paths compared to sidewalks and roads.
“We have 729 km of bike paths, whereas there are 6000 km of sidewalks and 4000 km of roadways,” he explains. “If all areas are cleared simultaneously, the lesser volume of bike paths results in quicker completion.”
Bike paths are cleared based on the same priority system as the adjacent streets:
- Priority 1: Major arteries, access to health facilities and schools, priority bus routes, reserved lanes, and busy commercial streets.
- Priority 2: Collector streets connecting urban areas to rural centers, additional bus routes, and local commercial streets.
- Priority 3: Local streets and industrial zones.
The Equipment and Materials Used
Another key aspect to consider is that the City employs different equipment for clearing bike paths compared to sidewalks and roadways. Bike paths are often too narrow for snow blowers and too wide for sidewalk tractors. Instead, 4×4 trucks equipped with front shovels and rear abrasive spreaders are utilized, allowing for efficient clearing without hindering other snow removal operations.
In terms of maintenance, bike paths tend to be easier to manage during winter months. Unlike concrete sidewalks, bike paths are made from asphalt, a material that retains heat and facilitates faster snow melting. “This black material helps in keeping the paths clear,” notes Sabourin, emphasizing the challenges posed by residents who clear their vehicles and inadvertently deposit snow onto already cleared sidewalks.
Despite the fewer number of cyclists in winter compared to summer, the year-round usage of bike paths justifies their maintenance. “Well-maintained paths promote safe travel and encourage active transportation,” Sabourin states.
For instance, on January 13, when temperatures dipped to -11°C with snowfall, around 7500 trips were recorded on the Réseau express vélo, and estimates suggest that the total trips across the entire network could reach 10,000. That’s the equivalent of removing numerous cars from the streets.
Furthermore, the BIXI bike-sharing program now operates throughout the year, underscoring the need for accessible bike paths.
Interestingly, maintaining these paths can also benefit non-cyclists. “When sidewalks are snowy, bike paths can provide a safe route for individuals with strollers or those with reduced mobility,” adds Sabourin.