Rough and potentially dangerous, the St. Lawrence Seaway bike path is in dire need of love, say cyclists. They want to see it repaved, a major project that the Montreal Metropolitan Community plans to begin in the fall.
This stretch of land, approximately 14 km long, located in the heart of the St. Lawrence River, between Montreal and the South Shore, connects Parc Jean-Drapeau to the Sainte-Catherine recreation park. However, an online petition – which has collected nearly 1,400 signatures to date – claims that the cycle path is in an “advanced state of disrepair.”
An observation shared by the Montreal Metropolitan Community (CMM). Aware of the urgency, it stated that work to completely repave the axis would begin in the fall of 2024. A second phase of paving should take place in the fall of 2025 and the CMM hopes to have everything ready “within two years.”
Joined by The Pressone of the instigators of the petition, Marc-Antoine Desjardins, welcomed this announcement, which had gone unnoticed until now. He felt that the state of the road was not only “uncomfortable”, but also posed “safety issues”, especially for “less experienced cyclists”.
These, Mr. Desjardins believes, are currently struggling to navigate among the damaged paving stones and the “bare areas” where the asphalt is absent or in poor condition. “In addition, you have to avoid branches and potholes!” he adds. A situation that, according to him, it was imperative to correct.
“River walk”
For several years, the CMM has been aiming to revitalize the strip of land, to make it “something more elaborate.” To this end, it announced in 2021 an important milestone in its “Greater Montreal River Walk project” – which has remained in the shadows since. However, behind closed doors, work and negotiations continued, says communications director Julie Brunet.
“It takes time to do these big projects,” she explains, especially since there were many regulatory requirements and the land belongs to the St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corporation, a federal corporation, but is managed by Parc Jean-Drapeau. “It’s all extremely long, but we’re going out to tender this summer.”
PHOTO MARTIN CHAMBERLAND, THE PRESS
The Seaway cycle path, between the Champlain Bridge pier and Jean-Drapeau Park
After the asphalting – to be carried out “urgently” – a second phase of the project should allow the installation of a path for pedestrians and the development of “cycling stops” along the route. Furniture should also enhance “access to the water”, which onlookers will be able to get closer to. The call for tenders for this part will be made independently of the asphalting, specifies the CMM.
Worthy of Paris-Roubaix
A cyclist himself, Mr. Desjardins believes that the redevelopment of this route will ultimately serve both athletes and users looking to travel between the MRC of Roussillon and the heart of the city. “We need a place where we can train safely and where there will be no conflict of use,” he initially argues.
Then, according to him, it will be an “undeniable transport link”… which he compares in its current state to the Paris-Roubaix cycling race, known for being contested on an uncompromising surface.
“We’re disappointed, it’s old asphalt,” summarizes Mr. Desjardins, who also sees this cycling route as one of the city’s key attractions. “It’s a signature of the city, just like Mount Royal!”
The work will take place during the fall season, a period when the cycle path – which will then be partially closed – is less busy.