HomeMy WebLinkAbout04-08-24 Public Comment - M. Egge - Paris Doubles Bike Path Use in One YearFrom:Mark Egge
To:Bozeman Public Comment
Subject:[EXTERNAL]Paris Doubles Bike Path Use in One Year
Date:Saturday, April 6, 2024 3:57:14 PM
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Members of the City Commission and the Transportation Board—
New data reported by Le Monde reports that counts of Paresian cyclists have doubled in one year.
The image below shows average counts at 128 count points across the city, comparing October2023 to October 2022.
This remarkable increase in cycling is a direct result of the policies and investments being made toenact the vision championed by Paris Mayor Anne Hildago to reshape Paris into a city that is 100%bikeable.
Paris makes for an interesting analog to Bozeman, in that Bozeman and Paris are similar insize (different in population, but similar in geographic extent).
This change is primarily attributable to leadership and what planner Brent Toderian refers to as "anappropriate sense of urgency when it comes to building safe bike infrastructure."
Since 2001, bicycle facilities in Paris have increased from just 125 miles to 620 miles (andmany improvements in quality have been made as well).Many roads (including the roads that line the Seine) have been closed to cars entirely.An eBike "trial" program enabling thousands of Paresians to try out an eBike for six months for
a very nominal fee.The city has removed and eliminated parking. It has also introduced new parking surchargesfor large vehicles. The mode share of cars in the city's core has halved since 2010. Overall car volumes are down
45% since 2001.Bikes now outnumber cars on many of the city's major arterials.
In 2022, the Bozeman City Commission authorized funding for a bicycle boulevard study which hasyet to materialize. I understand that we will see one bicycle boulevard this summer, as a pilot.Since that point in time, Paris has installed hundreds of miles of bike lanes (in a city of similar size)
and doubled the number of users in those lanes.
I have no doubt that a transformation similar to Paris's is possible in Bozeman with the benefit ofcourageous leadership and investment in safe bicycling infrastructure. I urge you to take inspiration
from Mayor Hidalgo, dream big dreams for Bozeman, and make those dreams a reality with adramatic spree of creating high quality bicycle facilities.
Thanks for your leadership and consideration,
Mark Egge
1548 S Grand AveBozeman, MT 59715