With Copenhagen Leading the Way, Others are Following... On Bikes

The SBT crew has been investigating the growth of bike lanes and bicycling trails in the United States.  We noted work being done in Chicago, Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, Atlanta and other large metro areas in the states.  This post looks at Europe and the “City of Cyclists”—Copenhagen.

Copenhagen is actually an island and water is everywhere. The original Danish name meant "merchants' harbor," and through a series of German translations, became Copenhagen.  Copenhagen’s Tivoli Gardens is an amusement park first opened in 1853 and many people believe it provided the inspiration for Walt Disney’s theme parks.  The Stronget is a popular destination in the city.  It is a mile-long pedestrian shopping zone.  First built in the 1960s, it is the city’s open-air attraction for shopping, dining and entertainment.  Copenhagen is one of the world’s finest cultural centers and more and more people are experiencing the city on two wheels.

In 2006 the city outlined a direction for a far-ranging bicycling program with the goal of making it the top mode of transportation for city residents by 2015.   Since that time the city has constructed more bike lanes, added safety enhancements to lanes already in place and eased the flow of bike traffic at bottle-neck intersections.  Copenhagen began this effort because of some dubious long-term reports concerning automobile traffic.  

In a study, Copenhagen planners projected a 20% increase in car and truck traffic which will lead to more smog and gridlock.  The planners also placed a figure of $1 billion (800 million Euros) related to economic loss caused by traffic congestion annually.  

The city has enjoyed a cycling renaissance.  With safer routes and additional lanes and trails people are riding much more.  In 2012, city residents rode an average of 1.2 million kilometers daily.  Also in 2012, 35% of city residents chose the bicycle as their primary mode of transportation.  It is projected that by 2015, 50% of Copenhagen’s denizens will have a bike as their main method for getting around town, to work, and to school.  

Copenhagen’s bicycle culture and program confronts the issue of traffic congestion. The city has enacted the City of Cyclists program as a means to improve the conditions for cyclists and reduce CO2 emissions. As it becomes safer and easier for residents to cycle, residents are cycling more frequently.

Work is not done.  The “Cycle Track Priority Plan” will continue to 2016.  By that year an additional 70 km of bike tracks (“tracks” run parallel to main roads and are not considered bike trails or paths) will be built.  Copenhagen is clearly leading the way for other cities globally with New York City set to adopt the Copenhagen plan for the Big Apple.   

Visit our website www.stickybottleteam.net for a short video of Danes riding in snowy Copenhagen.