Montreal is once again pledging to build 50 km of bike paths this year, even though the city fell short in 2014.
Mayor Denis Coderre said it is part of the city's commitment to making the city safer for bicyclists by creating new paths and improving existing routes.
It's all part of making Montreal a world-class cycling city.
"We need to evolve with the society, we need also to focus on safety and quality of life," said Coderre.
Cyclists say there is room for improvement on the city's roads.
"Montreal is a very good cycling city when you compare it to other North American cities, but that's actually a very low target," said Dan Lambert of the Montreal Bike Coalition.
The 2015 plans include more than 70 projects in a dozen boroughs, at a $12.5 million cost.
The city didn't quite reach its target last year and the mayor admits he was disappointed with the completion of just 33 kilometres.
"When we promise 50 kilometres, I want to fulfill 50 kilometres. It didn't work," said Coderre.
Among this year's projects:
- improvement of the Lapierre Rd. bike paths in LaSalle
- improvement of the bike paths on Notre Dame St.
- a new reserved bike lane for cyclists heading south on St. Denis St. The northbound lane will be expanded so cyclists and drivers can more easily share the road.
Advocate Suzanne Lareau of Velo Quebec welcomes the news.
"It's a good idea. St. Denis street is a very busy street for cyclists and it's uncomfortable for cyclists too," said Lareau.
The city was unable to provide a timeline for when this year's projects would be completed.
