Saturday, September 1, 2012
Bicycle superhighways to the suburbs
Bicycle superhighways are being built to the suburbs of Copenhagen to encourage more people to travel by bike. According to this NPR story, In Bike-Friendly Copenhagen, Highways for Cyclists: |
| Bicycle Superhighway in Copenhagen |
So a network of 26 new bike routes, dubbed "the cycling superhighway," is being built to link the surrounding suburbs to Copenhagen.
Lars Gaardhoj, an official with the Copenhagen capital region, says the routes will be straight and direct.
"It will be very fast for people who use their bike," he says. "This is new because traditionally cycle paths have been placed where there is space for them and the cars didn't run. So now the bike is going to challenge the car."
How much would this cost?
Each mile of bike highway will cost about $1 million. The project is to be financed by the city of Copenhagen and 21 local governments. And in a country where both right- and left-leaning politicians regularly ride bikes to work, it has bilateral support.
Having bilateral support is important; bicycling should not be a partisan issue but it has become one in this country. Everyone needs to realize the potential for using bicycles in Fairfax, if we have first class bike facilities. Just think how many more people would travel by bike if we had more facilities like the W&OD Trail, which is often overcrowded with cyclists most weekends.Having a bicycle-friendly community doesn't just happen; it takes political will, financial support, and encouragement, all of which have made Copenhagen and other European cities places where bikes are an integrated part of their transportation networks.
To see how we can transform Fairfax into a more bicycle-friendly place, be sure to attend the Fairfax Bike Summit on Saturday, October 27 at GMU. Register online for free.
Labels: bicycle superhighways, copenhagen, fairfax bike summit, W and OD Trail
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