Cyclists not sold on prototype footrests
A bike footrest popped up on the corner of Bélanger and Boyer Sts. in Rosemont—La Petite-Patrie, and the borough is getting the feedback they asked for — but it’s not all positive.
The prototype consists of a steel handrail about four feet off the ground with a flat footrest sitting just above the sidewalk. It is long enough that two cyclists can lean on it at the same time.
The structure is attached to the sidewalk, but it can be removed in the winter, said Judith Gratton Gervais, a spokesperson for Rosemont—La Petite-Patrie. The inspiration for the footrest came from similar practices in the U.S. and Denmark, she said.
“It’s a small plus for cyclists,” said Marc Jolicoeur, Vélo Québec’s research director, who lives around the corner from where the footrest was installed. He said he’s seen studies that show cyclists are more prone to waiting at stop lights if they have a place to rest.
The only other advantage he sees: it’s a little more comfortable than resting your foot on the sidewalk or street.
However, he noted it’s not the top priority for cyclists in Montreal. The borough has been adding more bike racks, which are needed, he said, but so are traffic controls, such as speed humps, to slow drivers.
Jolicoeur did express concern about the structure’s visibility, particularly at night.
“If someone comes in at night and makes a right turn at that corner, the footrest must not be an obstacle that the cyclist would not see,” Jolicoeur said.
“It’s not a huge problem,” he said about the potential hazard, “but it’s not a huge benefit, either, and I’m not sure if it’s worth the cost of implementing these things.”
The prototypes cost $700 to $800 each, Gratton Gervais said. There is only one at the moment, as the borough is waiting to collect comments from users before installing six others along the Boyer St. bike path in the coming weeks.
Mikael Aupetit, who paused on the footrest for a moment, said he wasn’t sold on it. He said the city was putting money into something that isn’t needed, and its priorities seem to be a bit backwards when considering infrastructure.
Chloé Ekker, another cyclist who stopped to test out the structure, said she wasn’t as tempted by the footrest, but liked the handrail.
“It’s great because before we improvised a little bit with what was along the road, like posts, but they weren’t always the most stable,” she said. “It works well.”