A vast and beautiful one-way cycle path that runs for 1.7 km, between Avenue de Ménilmontant and Place de la République (11th century).
Qualified by the City as an “exemplary achievement”, the development of Avenue de la République, in the heart of a district reputed to be “a good student of cycling”, has just been delivered after a year and a half of work.
Over the months, this former "coronapiste" set up during the health crisis has been perpetuated, section after section.
The lane dedicated to bicycles, cargo vehicles and scooters is on its own site and is 2.50 m wide, i.e. one meter more than on conventional equipment.
Moreover, the amateurs are there and rather satisfied, not to say playful.
“It's perfect, exclaims this
bike rider
, helmet screwed on his head.
If we could circulate with the same security everywhere in Paris, that would be great.
But not everything is of the same quality.
Sometimes I scare myself.
»
Read also“By bike, people are burning lights and priorities”: the great stress of Parisian cyclists
Launched a year ago, the Vélo plan, endowed with 250 million euros, promises the development of 130 km of new axes and the sustainability of 52 km of "coronapistes", these cycle paths born at the height of the health crisis.
This would provide Paris, by 2026, with 450 km of cycle paths in total.
One certainty: 16 construction sites of this type are in progress in the capital and 6 others are announced for the year 2023. The next planned achievements will concern the boulevard Saint-Michel (5th), the Oberkampf sector (11th), the rue du Renard (4th), Porte de Saint-Cloud (16th) and Avenue d'Ivry (13th).
“Some places are extremely constrained”
Moreover, the City hammers it by the voice of Jacques Baudrier, its deputy (PCF) in charge of the coordination and the follow-up of the building sites, “the entirety of the capital will soon be cycleable”.
Paris currently has 1,100 km of roads open to cyclists out of a total of 1,800 km.
Impressive ?
Perhaps less than appearances suggest, because in reality, it is not only closed corridors like on the Avenue de la République, but very often simple markings on the ground on the roadway.
A much less comfortable and secure configuration.
Avenue of the Republic (XI).
The entire cycle path that runs between Ménilmontant and Place de la République, over 1.7 kilometers, has just been delivered.
“We don't always have the opportunity to create very beautiful layouts.
Some places are extremely constrained, admits David Belliard, deputy (EELV) to the mayor of Paris in charge of the transformation of public space.
But, nevertheless, the eyes of the whole world are on our achievements”.
A schedule jeopardized by the Olympics
Some user associations do not fully share this enthusiastic reflection.
At their head, Paris en Selle points out the slowness of the achievements.
“Only 15% of the developments announced by the City have been delivered”, maintains the association, which carried out a precise score via its “Bicycle plan observatory”.
"Even if the objective of a cycle-friendly Paris is there, with very fine recent achievements such as on Avenue de la République, the network remains incomplete, with very strong disparities between the east, which is well endowed, and the west… Loss-making, we continue in Paris en Selle.
Shortcomings also on certain major axes which would precisely allow cycling facilities, on the boulevard Malesherbes (17th century), or that of the Hospital (5th and 13th centuries) in particular.
»
The prospect of the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games and their corollary, the inevitable halt that will be punctually put to cycling facilities, particularly alarms the association.
“There is actually very little time left to keep to the schedule set out in the Cycling plan.
»
To this, the City objects that it would be impossible to launch all the projects simultaneously, at the risk of paralyzing the capital.
“Without breaking the sidewalks, it would be simple, and in one night, to put black studs, believes Paris en Selle.
These light, semi-temporary facilities materialize the tracks very well and would offer safety to users.
In Malesherbes, they would be welcome…”