Interim cyclist safety measures coming to Mount Royal road

The City of Montreal is going ahead with provisional safety measures for cyclists on Mount Royal.

The move follows the death of 18-year-old cyclist Clément Ouimet on a stretch of Camillien-Houde Way last week after he collided with an SUV that was making an illegal U-turn.

Ouimet was descending on a curve just beyond the lookout on Camillien-Houde when the collision occurred.

• Cyclist, 18, dies after colliding with SUV making illegal U-turn on Mount Royal

The measures, which are to be in place by Oct. 20,  include:

• Extending a central concrete median by an extra 30 metres after the lookout.
• The placement of new signs at numerous locations along Camillien-Houde Way indicating that U-turns are forbidden.
• The installation of a digital speed indicator at the end of the curve.
• Information panels at the bottom and top of Camillien-Houde Way reminding drivers that U-turns are forbidden on the mountain.

The measures were announced Wednesday evening in a news release.

'A question of public security,' says Denis Coderre

Denis Coderre, who is currently campaigning for re-election as mayor, said the new measures are meant to reduce speed on the curve and improve the field of vision and ability of cyclists to manoeuvre as they come out of it.

"We count on everyone's collaboration," Coderre said. "It's a question of public security."

After Ouimet's death, Coderre announced the creation of working group to look at ways to improve safety on Camillien-Houde Way.

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He said the new measures will be put in place while the working group develops its recommendations.

Coderre said reducing the speed limit along Camillien-Houde Way to 40 km/h remains a priority.

However, reducing it requires the approval of the Ville-Marie borough council and that won't be possible during the current election period.

Coderre said his administration would seek approval for that reduction as soon as possible after the Nov. 5 election, should he win.

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