Paris is spending $291 million on an infrastructure plan to make the entire city cyclist-friendly by 2026

• Nearly 112 miles of new cycling paths will be added throughout Paris under a new plan.
• Tens of thousands of new parking spaces would be created to accommodate the additional cyclists.

The city of Paris, France, unveiled a 250 million euro ($291 million) infrastructure plan this week aimed at increasing cycling tourism, prioritizing green forms of transportation, and making the entire city biker-friendly by 2026.

Under the Bike Plan, an additional 180 kilometers (112 miles) of cycling paths would be added onto Paris' existing cycling facilities, which currently spans 1,000 kilometers (621 miles), according to the city's website. The plan also calls for tens of thousands of new parking spaces to accommodate cyclists who take advantage of the expansion.

Presidential candidate and mayor of Paris Anne Hidalgo, a member of France's Socialist Party, has made the plan central to her campaign, France 24 reported. Hidalgo, a know advocate for biker-friendly policies during her political tenure, announced the city's first "day without cars" in 2015.

"This bike plan is one of the essential pillars of the ecological and social transformation that we are leading in Paris," Hidalgo spokesperson David Belliard tweeted in French.

-David Belliard (@David_Belliard) October 21, 2021

Paris' commitment to cycling would also extend beyond its streets and into its classrooms.

The proposal advocates teaching children in all Paris elementary schools how to ride a bike, as well as developing bicycle schools to teach any adults interested in learning. The plan also calls for the creation of a bike self-repair workshop in each of the city's 20 districts.