Crossing the department from east to west without getting off the saddle ... This is the promise made by the Grand Paris Seine & Oise urban community (GPS & O) which has just laid the foundations for its new “bike plan”.
Adopted in recent days by elected officials from the 73 municipalities of the Seine valley, this device provides for the construction of 126 kilometers of cycle paths through part of Yvelines, from Méricourt to Conflans-Sainte-Honorine.
Between these two cities, Sunday cyclists, sportsmen or tourists can walk along the banks of the Seine, move away a little from the river when they are impassable before transplanting towards the developed banks.
This cycle route will take the “Seine à Vélo” axis, which should, by 2024, link Paris to Le Havre by crossing the department.
This circuit could attract thousands of tourists in the coming years, we hope the urban community.
"By way of comparison, The Loire by bike is a million cyclists each year with an average basket of 60 euros per person", details Pierre-Yves Dumoulin, mayor of Rosny-sur-Seine and vice-president (LR ) of GPS & O delegated to mobility and parking.
Beyond the tourist interest, which experience and time will have to demonstrate, this plan aims first and foremost to secure everyday cycling, to get to work or for local family outings.
Strengthen the safety of cyclists
Popular in large cities, especially since the health crisis, the number of cycle lanes increased by 10% in France in 2020, according to the Vélo & Territoires association.
But the lack of secure infrastructure penalizes its growth, especially in the outer suburbs.
“This is particularly the case on country roads, deplores Nicolas, a fan of the little queen who lives in a village near Bréval.
In town, even if there are a few idiots, motorists do not drive fast so it is less worrying.
But take the departmental roads during rush hour, you will see that it is quite scary.
"
Elsewhere, road or rail bridges complicate the task of cyclists.
In Rosny-sur-Seine, a footbridge dedicated to soft traffic has thus emerged above the SNCF Paris-Rouen line to facilitate travel.
In order to get around these difficulties, elected officials have opted for routes annexed to the road network, by nibbling the widths of agricultural surfaces or by widening lanes when possible.
This will be the case in particular in rural areas, such as Brueil-en-Vexin, Sailly, Jambville, or Tessancourt-sur-Aubette.
Arrangements around middle and high schools
In old town centers, especially those in the western Paris region, traffic will be shared with cars and the speed reduced to 30 km / h will be generalized.
At the same time, between 500 and 1,000 new dedicated parking spaces will be built each year around major facilities, as well as in shopping districts and business areas.
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The other part of the cycling plan will focus on the daily lives of thousands of young Yvelinois, offering them the opportunity to go to college or high school by bicycle.
From the Jules-Ferry high school in Conflans-Sainte-Honorine to the Montcient colleges in Gaillon-sur-Montcient or Galilée in Limay, schoolchildren will be able to take new trails between their home and their establishment in complete safety.
The tragic death of a high school student on a bicycle at the start of the year in Le Vésinet, after being struck by a truck while he was traveling in a dedicated area, revealed how much the security requirement is increased when several types of circulation.
Work should start this year and run until 2025. In total, 17 million euros have been released to finance them.
The departmental council is also involved in the construction of these tracks.
