By Ruby Pratka

Local Journalism Initiative

A stretch of Chemin de Lotbinière in Bromont will become a testing ground for a new traffic arrangement that advocates hope will slow down car traffic and make the road safer for cyclists and pedestrians.

The two-way central lane roadway, also known as a gentle-traffic roadway or a “chaucidou” (contraction of chaussée à circulation douce) allows for car traffic at a speed limit of 50 kph using a single lane for both directions. There are bike lanes on either side which also accommodate pedestrians and serve as pull-off lanes if one driver needs to get out of the way to let another pass. Drivers are required to give “vulnerable users” (pedestrians and cyclists) priority.

Bromont Mayor Louis Villeneuve said the idea first came about “a few years ago” when residents began circulating a petition to lower the speed limit along the road from 70 to 50 kph, an idea that was ultimately shelved because it “would have created a false sense of security.” The city considered other options and ultimately went with the chaucidou as a pilot project, with support from the Quebec ministry of transportation (MTQ), researchers at Université de Sherbrooke and Polytechnique in Montreal, and the local police service, who will run an awareness-raising campaign. 

Villeneuve expected the project to be put in place in about six weeks  – the MTQ requires the city to give at least 30 days’ notice to motorists before any change in the speed limit or major change to traffic patterns, and new lane markings will be painted. There will be no curbs or barriers separating the car lane from the bike lanes, but Villeneuve is confident lane lines will be sufficient. “The marking will be very clear – drivers will have to slow down and drive toward the centre of the lane; you can’t stick to the shoulder,” Villeneuve said, adding that the current traffic pattern pushes pedestrians onto the shoulder and cars don’t necessarily slow down for them. “Studies have shown there are fewer accidents and cars don’t go as fast,” Villeneuve said. According to the MTQ, the pilot project is set to last three years and can be stopped at any time or extended for as long as five years if conditions warrant.

“We want to prioritize active transit – people walking or taking their bikes. We want people to be happy with it and we want to be able to do it in other places,” Villeneuve said. “We’re not inventing anything new here, but it is a first in Quebec.”

Municipalities that want to participate in similar pilot projects must submit a proposal and get authorization from the MTQ. MTQ spokesperson Isabelle Dorais said no other municipalities had requested authorization for a “chaucidou,” but others may be forthcoming. Villeneuve said other cities had already expressed interest, without specifying which ones.

The arrangement is the first of its kind in Quebec, but a similar single-lane setup has been in place “for a few years” on Somerset St. in downtown Ottawa, city officials told the BCN. The MTQ also cites Victoria, B.C. as an example.

Villeneuve said the project would cost the city between $20-25,000.