A cyclist got off his bike, near Place Salengro, in the Figuerolles suburb -

N. Bonzom / Maxele Presse

  • A collective of local residents is asking for the creation of a real cycle path on the Figuerolles suburb, one of the emblematic avenues of Montpellier.

  • Today, only a third of the avenue has a cycle path.

  • For its part, the metropolis indicates that a first part will be created in the coming months, and the second, linked to the future line 5 of the tramway, by 2023.

Surrounded by works since 2018, the Figuerolles suburb, in the district of the same name, in Montpellier (Hérault), is a hell for cars, pedestrians ... And above all, cyclists.

Because if, on this avenue, part has a cycle path, on both sides, it is each time the adventure to circulate by bike.

The Figuerolles à Vélo collective wrote to the mayor, Michaël Delafosse (PS), so that sort of earth “a real cycle path between Place Salengro and the top of the city of Gély”.

Let's finish the cycle path in Figuerolles 👊🚴‍♀️ In one year 228 meters of tracks have been built… We can do better, right?

@MDelafosse @FrecheJulie @manureynaud @VelociteMtp # Plan Vélo # mobilités #Montpellier pic.twitter.com/wIRS5ewQ3x

- Cycling in Figuerolles (@AFiguerolles) January 10, 2021

They had the commitment of the old team to the town hall, they point out.

“Only 228 meters” were completed, “barely a third of the project”, they deplore.

“This section, located in the middle of the route, is not connected to anything.

Why hasn't the town hall completed this track by extending it by 327 meters so that it can finally connect with Place Salengro, then Cours Gambetta?

On the other side, 387 meters are missing so that the track can connect the avenue of the Captain's Cross and the future line 5 of the tram.

The district has been under construction since September 2018. In which other city, in which other district, the renovation of 942 meters of road network takes more than two and a half years?

"

"We must slalom between vehicles"

On the Figuerolles suburb, on sections without bicycle facilities, "we drive on the sidewalks or on the road, we share it with cars," says Marie, one of the members of the collective.

“But even on the road, there is an anarchic parking lot, on the side of the Salengro square.

You have to slalom between vehicles.

"

A cyclist on the road, between the city of Gély and the start of the cycle path, in the Figuerolles suburb - N. Bonzom / Maxele Presse

For her part, Julie Frêche (PS), vice-president of the metropolis, in charge of mobility, ensures that the project is on track.

But it will still take a little while.

“These residents are right,” says the elected official.

It is a track which was carried out in spite of the common sense, without any coherence.

We will start the work in February, it will last three months, to complete the part that goes to Place Salengro.

"

As for the upper part, which leads to the Cité Gély, it should not be operational before 2023, because it is part of the construction of a platform for the future line 5 of the tramway.

And also because on this section, there is a double direction of traffic.

"It will be necessary to carry out a global study, so that everyone is found there", concludes the elected official.

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