Cyclists in downtown Montreal will soon have an easier time finding spots to lock their bikes.

The City of Montreal says it will triple the number of bike racks in the Ville-Marie borough.

Currently, there are 400 bike racks in the area. This does not include the 2,600 devices on parking metres that allow people to lock up their bikes.

The city will be buying an additional 800 to 1,000 new bike racks.

$500K initiative

"The travel habits of Montrealers have changed significantly over the last few years. Offering parking is very important when it comes to choosing a bike as an alternate mode of transportation," said Montreal Mayor Valérie Plante.

The Plante administration has already earmarked $500,000 for the initiative. The money will come directly from the Ville-Marie parking fund, which is used to increase the number of parking spaces for either vehicles or bicycles.

Several groups, such as the Conseil régional de l'environnement de Montréal, have been pushing for years for an increase in bike racks in the city's downtown core.

Plante says she hopes the move will "convince more citizens to opt for this mode of alternative transport instead of the car to get to work, school, university or shops."

Details about the type of bike racks that will be purchased, as well as where and when they will be installed, will be decided after a call for tenders is launched.