How Paris wants to become “100% cyclable” in 5 years

“Make Paris a 100% cycling city. This is the objective of the town hall before the end of Anne Hidalgo ‘s second term of office. The 2021-2026 cycling plan was presented on Thursday by David Belliard, deputy mayor of Paris in charge of transport and mobility. After a first plan launched in 2015, the municipality changes gear and plans to allocate 250 million euros to “initiate a massification of uses” of cycling in the capital.

The bulk of this budget, 180 million euros, will go to infrastructure, the city’s cycle paths as well as the major axes which must “irrigate the whole of Île-de-France” including the RER V and the Vélopolitain. The 52 kilometers of “coronapistes” are perpetuated and 130 kilometers of secure tracks will be created. The double direction will also be generalized on 380 kilometers of one-way streets. Twenty million euros will be used to integrate cycling into the “Beautify your neighborhood” project.

The new bicycle plan also intends to combat bicycle theft. To do this, 100,000 secure parking spaces will be created near stations and intermodal points. In addition, 30,000 additional poles will be installed and the municipality intends to agree with the donors so that they make efforts on the possibilities of parking in the private sector.

Develop the cycling ecosystem

David Belliard is also putting Road Safety ahead in this new cycling plan. First, by securing crossroads, particularly at the gates of Paris, where the different means of transport intersect by creating a “Dutch-style” system, made up of reserved and secure lanes for cyclists. Ten million euros will be used to create a “limited traffic zone” in the center of Paris.

The town hall also wishes to develop the entire cycling ecosystem in the city. Thus, self-repair workshops should appear in each arrondissement. Managed by facilitators, they will provide equipment and training so that everyone can come and repair their biclou. Work must also take place on cycle tourism, to encourage visitors to step on the pedal to discover the capital. Cyclology, the famous “last mile”, will also be at the heart of the project to encourage the use of cargo bikes and scooters for deliveries to businesses in town. This would range from adapting bicycle lanes to reserved delivery spaces at the request of retailers.

With these measures, the mayor of Paris hopes to “cross the curves”, that of the bicycle which represents 5.6% of trips in the capital, and that of cars which are used for 9% of trips. This work, which should be completed by 2026 at the latest, is justified, according to the town hall, by the important issues highlighted during the campaign: improving air quality, reducing noise pollution and acting on global warming.

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