Paris is set to open 55 kilometres of additional cycling lanes for 2024 Olympics, according to insidethegames. “Fans will be able to cycle from the city centre to sporting sites at the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games as 55 kilometres of bike paths are set to be established. The paths, dubbed as “Olympilanes”, will link venues in Paris to those in the northeastern suburb of Seine-Saint-Denis,” the website added.
Already 30km of the routes have are very close to completion while the remainder is planned to be finished closer to the Games scheduled to take place from July 26 to August 11. Paris boasts of existing 130km of cycle paths before the additions which city Mayor Anne Hidalgo as quotedby insidethegames said ‘will be a great legacy for the city.’
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Paris used concrete barriers and yellow bollards to create temporary bike routes, though some crinkled their noses at it calling them “coronalanes” a scar on the city.
Deputy Mayor of Paris David Belliard was quoted as saying that all of the new cycling paths would be made durable for year-round weather conditions to ensure they can remained in place.
Around 10,000 bike racks are due to be placed outside key sport sites, while another 3,000 permanent parking spots will be added near the Stade de France in Saint-Denis.
Paris’ bicycle rental scheme ‘Vélib’, which has been running since 2007, is also set to add at least 3,000 bikes to its fleet, according to insidethegames.