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Montreal considering introducing separate traffic laws for cyclists

Proposed amendments to the highway traffic code would require approval by provincial government

Montreal’s municipal government led by Projet Montréal and mayor Valérie Plante is considering introducing separate traffic laws for cyclists. That would include allowing cyclists to roll through stop signs which is allowed in a very limited number of jurisdictions in North America.

Projet Montréal came to power in November promising to improve cycling in the city with part of that platform focused on infrastructure. The laws that govern the road could also see some changes to allow cyclists to operate under different rules accoridng to a recent artile in The Globe and Mail.

If separate rules were introduced for cyclists, Montreal would become the biggest municipality in North America to condone such laws. However, any changes to the road laws would need to be approved by the provincial government in Quebec City. Edmonton voted to allow cyclists to roll through stops in 2016 but the rules are still under review.

The province is currently revising its traffic code and there are three main changes that are being proposed by Projet Montréal. The first would be to allow cyclists to treat stop signs as yields, the second would be to allow cyclists to follow pedestrian signals and thirdly to allow cyclists to turn right on red lights at intersections.

Recognizing bicycles need to be treated differently than motor vehicles would be a fundamental shift and while evidence suggests the change would make cycling safer, it would threaten to create further conflict with critics who believe it should be one law for everyone. Those in favour say that it’s an acknoledgement of how cyclists ride making it safer and allowing them to keep their momentum through intersections.

“This kind of vehicle cannot be treated the same way as a car, and it’s illogical that it was,” said Councillor Marianne Giguère a member of the city’s executive committee told The Globe and Mail. “Telling cyclists that the rule says you have to do a complete stop…the message is you have to be as cautious as a car is, even though you’re a lot less dangerous.”

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