MONTREAL -- Verdun business owners met with officials Monday night to give them a piece of their mind about a bike lane pilot project in their borough.
The dedicated cycling paths were installed on Verdun Street last summer, eliminating 275 parking spaces.
It’s been a longstanding battle since the city introduced the project, and some merchants argue their concerns are continuing to fall on deaf ears.
They lament that Monday night’s meeting was less about having their thoughts heard, and more a ‘sales pitch’ for the project.
The business owners claim they’ve lost dozens of clients since the parking spaces near their stores were removed last June, and are asking for other solutions to accommodate both cyclists and cars in the borough.
Revenue was down by $5,000 a month last summer, according to some merchants on Verdun Street.
However, the borough insists about 800 cyclists used the bike path every day during the project, accounting for 10 per cent of road users during rush hours.
Officials add that every month, more and more people used the path.
Another consultation is planned for Thursday evening to hear from people who use the paths and residents who live in the area.
Though nothing is set in stone, Verdun borough officials say their goal is to bring the pilot project back for a second year, but they will take all of the feedback into account before announcing if the bike lanes will return next spring.
