[68], While the previous system, Copenhagen City Bikes, was considered one of the first examples of modern bike share systems, it was also of little or no use to commuters, and was mainly seen as serving tourists and casual users since it was primarily designed to prevent bike theft. [30], On 1 December 2011 the municipal council unanimously adopted the new cycling strategy, "good, better, best – The City of Copenhagen’s Bicycle Strategy 2011–2025" which aims to make Copenhagen the world's best city to cycle in. 49% of all trips to work or school in Copenhagen are by bike, up from 35% just ten years ago. The route takes the world's best riders (and you) by some amazing sights here in the world's best bike city. They were even more critical of road maintenanc… One of the most dangerous situations is the so-called right hook, where right turning cars, and especially trucks, collide with bicycle riders in their blind spot. In many cities, including San Francisco and Sydney, there are bike lanes throughout the city. Another influence on bicycle culture from Copenhagen is the Cycle chic movement. These routes are intended to be a supplement to the existing network centered around busy corridors with high volume vehicle traffic. It grew from reactions to a photo of a girl wearing her regular clothes on a bike, which inspired the photographer, Michael Colville-Andersen, to start the blog Copenhagen Cycle Chic featuring mainly female subjects riding their bikes in fashionable everyday clothes. Bike that is. The bicycle symbol is placed at the beginning of the stretch and every 30 metres afterwards. [23] In the 18 municipalities that make up the Copenhagen metropolitan region (Hovedstadsområdet) an area of approximately 350 square kilometres (140 sq mi) and a population of 1,2 million, 21% of all trips were done on bicycle by 2011. And as a city bisected by a harbour and smaller canals, there has been plenty of bridging to be done. Considerable effort has been made to construct raised, safe lanes for cyclists to use. In 2001 Copenhagen formulated its first bicycle strategy with the publishing of "Cycle policy 2002 – 2012" as a way to prioritize cycling in city planning, signal its importance to the city, and to coordinate initiatives for improvements of cycling conditions. For those who are counting, Copenhageners cycle an estimated 1.44 million kilometres daily. In fact, when New York City decided to make their city more cycle-friendly, they hired Copenhagen urban designer Jan Gehl. In doing so, the bicycle railings brilliantly treats the bicycle riders while making simultaneously intersections more predictable. [38] While the business is currently unregulated, it is estimated that there were around 130 cycle taxis in Copenhagen in 2012. Copenhagen has over 450 km of bicycle lanes and paths, so you can assume most of the areas you cycle in will have them. Cycle lanes are marked with 30 cm wide, white striping in thermoplast. Danish design is renowned for its focus on simplicity and function. So widespread are cycles and cycle lanes throughout the city that the term “Copenhagenize” has come to meet adding bicycle infrastructure to a city. During the morning and afternoon rush hour, it is not uncommon that there are too many cyclists for all to cross during green light cycles at intersections along the busy corridors. Nope. But look to the intersections to see how design can make cycling safer. Whether you’re talking dining room chairs, apartment buildings, or motorway bridges, Danish design at its best understands and accommodates the user and context. Indeed, a rush hour unlike any other. Copenhagen has on-street bike lanes, dedicated bike boulevards, and even bike- and pedestrian-only bridges. To be sure, the city’s infrastructure is impressive: Copenhagen has on-street bike lanes, dedicated bike boulevards, and even bike- and pedestrian-only bridges. Other European cities I visited or lived in, encourage the use of bicycles in the city and always have, but the infrastructure is lacking. In relation, Bremen with a very similar amount of population has 700 kilometres (430 mi) of curb segregated cycle tracks, but only a bit above 26 % cycle traffic. As in many other cities, another common phenomenon is bicycle messengers. This simple piece of street furniture is a clever way of both showing bicycle riders that they are appreciated while also making for more predictable interactions. [40] They offer similar advantages to taxis for passengers travelling a mile or three, and their novelty attracts tourists including those seeking a guided tour of the city centre. People of all ages, different genders and social stations ride their bikes: cycling is not the exclusive province of … Life in Copenhagen is lived in the saddle of a bicycle. With these railings placed at red lights, one can stay sitting comfortably on their bike seat while waiting for the signal to change. Some are cycling two abreast, chatting and laughing as they go. In Copenhagen we bike whether there is sun, rain or snow. But within months of opening more than 9,000 were counted crossing, of which one third were former car drivers. The city further plans to decrease travel times by expanding the use of green waves adjusted to cycling speeds, and building additional bicycle and pedestrian only bridges across busy streets and over the harbour and canals. While no bike paths were actually removed at the time, new road construction omitted bicycle infrastructure,[13] and many bike lanes were curtailed at intersections to increase the throughput of cars by adding turn pockets and other car related infrastructure in its place. After you join your guide to begin the bike tour, you will weave through the extensive network of bicycle lanes in the city. Detour during construction Navigation arrows at an intersection Solution to slow cyclists down / bicycle speed bump Long car turns warning for cyclists Large intersection with bicycle lane Bicycle lane marking at an intersection Green wave (20 km/h) for cyclists in Copenhagen; Traffic lights: Yes When first proposed, experts estimated 3,300 daily bicycle crossings over the bridge. There are more than 250 miles of bike lanes in Copenhagen, according to the Danish Foreign Ministry, and some 600 miles of bike paths in the greater Copenhagen … And being positioned at the front of the queue, it’s even less likely that those behind them will opt to break the rules in front of someone patiently waiting. If for just one block or one intersection it dips down, that may be the difference from someone choosing to leave the bike at home. Along busier neighbourhoods streets, you’ll notice bike lanes separated by a simple painted line. With safer infrastructure come more bicycle riders. The City has pledged investments equalling more than €40 per capita in bicycle infrastructure investments. In Copenhagen people do not feel this way, as other road users complain in considerable and increasing numbers about cyclists’ behaviour. Therefore, both are among the rare bidirectional bikeways inside Copenhagen. Below you will find a bunch of facts and figures about cycling in Denmark, and answers to some of the most common questions we … [72], Copenhagen's relatively well-developed bicycle culture has given rise to the term copenhagenization. Separated from both car traffic and pedestrians with a simple curb, the cycle track provides all street users a simple and intuitive experience. These include widening cycle tracks to 3 lanes to allow for conversational cycling and increase the sense of safety on the cycle tracks, while at the same time allowing for higher speeds among commuters. By sticking to these four simple typologies, everyday cycling in Copenhagen quickly becomes something that is intuitive and reliable. Running through, People of all ages cycle in Copenhagen not only because it’s safe, but because it. [73] An example of a city which has introduced bike lanes acknowledging inspiration from Copenhagen is Melbourne in Australia where kerbside bike lanes separated from moving and parked cars by a low concrete kerb are referred to as 'Copenhagen lanes'. To accommodate the growing number of bikes, DSB rebuilt all their S-trains by adding an extra carriage specifically for bikes, while keeping the flexible compartments at each end of the train to accommodate bicycles, as well as prams and wheelchairs, and increased capacity from 22 to 46 bicycles per train. By 2004, there was still some dissatisfaction among cyclists about cycling conditions, although “four-fifths of the cyclists are satisfied with Copenhagen as a city for cyclists”. Here are the bridges, you cannot miss on your bike … You’ll witness a scene quite different from the morning. "We have 41 percent of all trips to work and study being done by bike right now in Copenhagen… [52] However, since the number of bicyclists increased by 18–20% following installation of the cycle tracks, individual accident rates actually dropped when bicycle infrastructure was added. And something seems to be working, 97% of Copenhageners are satisfied with the cycling conditions in the city. On the east side of Wellington Street, the Copenhagen bicycle lane is separated by a row of parking bays, raised concrete islands and garden beds. This initiative began in 2009 when both Copenhagen and the neighboring cities realized that building new infrastructure would allow commuters to bike into the city and create more sustainable transportation options. Copenhagenize Design Co. Cycling in Nantes is confusing and not very intuitive, due to the variety of infrastructure designs. 49% of all trips to work or school in Copenhagen are by bike, up from 35% just ten years ago. The design of these off street greenways still maintains a separation between pedestrians and bicycle riders through different surface colours. [66] In addition 15% of train passengers in the metropolitan region cycle to the station. Hardly. Many city dwellers thought it was the best day of the week,[15] and the Danish Cyclists Federation which had been on life support for years and were nearly in a coma, experienced a rapid and massive increase in membership during the 1970s and 1980s. "We have 41 percent of all trips to work and study being done by bike right now in Copenhagen… There was a significant increase of accidents in intersections following the installation of cycle tracks at intersections. US$13M) to new or improved bike specific infrastructure and DKK 17 million (approx. Legally, the minimum width is 1.7 metres (5.6 ft), but in practice most cycle tracks are at least 2.2 metres (7.2 ft), preferably 2.5 metres (8.2 ft), and very busy stretches of cycle tracks can be 3–4 metres (9.8–13.1 ft) wide. It allowed visitors to gain experience of cycling in Copenhagen by taking one of its 300 city bikes along the cycle paths which were incorporated throughout the structure. And from Olafur Eliasson’s spectacular Circle Bridge (Cirkelbroen) you can appreciate the National Library’s Black Diamond expansion in its intended glory, with glimmers of light bouncing off the facade. [28] The city hopes that the recreational and enhanced safety qualities of this network will attract certain groups of the population that currently use cars on trips to and from work, especially those with a 5–10 km commute.[27]. These bicycle tracks were constructed during the years 1978-2003 and the bicycle lanes were marked 1988-2002. A cyclist will now on average cycle 4.4 million kilometres (2.7 million miles) before being involved in a serious accident. A quick glance at a typical main street in Copenhagen, and each user knows exactly where they belong. [63][64] Building on the success, DSB has launched additional bicycle initiatives such as opening bike shops in 10 stations, where customers can leave bikes for repair on their morning commute and retrieve them on their way home. Roadside cycle tracks in Copenhagen are generally one-directional (see Google Maps' orthophotos), with one cycle track on each side of street flowing the same direction as motor traffic. And finally, the fourth typology of bicycle infrastructure you’ll see in Copenhagen is the off-street path. These buffered cycle tracks go a step further in making sure the bicycle riders feel safe as they travel along the more uncomfortable streets. Swooping down the Bicycle Snake (Cykelslangen), the bicycle rider is teased with a brief glimpse up the harbour. [42] In addition, virtually all mail delivered by the Danish postal service is done on custom build bicycles, recently the company has introduced larger and more efficient electric cargo bikes, which won the 'Innovation of the Year' prize at the annual post expo in 2012. Bicycle infrastructure in Copenhagen currently includes approximately 350 kilometres (220 mi) of curb segregated cycle tracks, 23 kilometres (14 mi) of on-street cycle lanes and 43 kilometres (27 mi) of off-street green bicycle routes running through parks and other green areas. In that year only half of cyclists expressed “satisfaction with the state of cycle tracks”. Drivers in Copenhagen are very used to bikes and cycle lanes and will usually be very courteous and give you plenty of room. Copenhagen bike lane. "The bike is a Dane's best friend" - particularly in the larger Danish cities that offer an extensive network of bicycle lanes. Is it because they’re all a bunch of health freaks? Strasbourg. Some, like the harbour ring, are better suited for recreational riders. [23] With a view to remedying the situation, in 2008 the Danish Cyclists Federation published a "Bicycling Parking Manual" with a number of guidelines. The city also vowed to use bicycle accounts to follow up on the goals set forth the cycle policy. § 10, Stk. It’s not just cycling for cycling’s sake. It comes down to three important factors: Infrastructure, infrastructure, and infrastructure. A crowd of tired, blank faces yawning their way to work. It is only then, that car drivers and bicycle riders of all ages and abilities can ‘share the lane’ comfortably. Return to Dronning Louises Bridge for the afternoon rush hour. Along busier, more trafficked streets outside of the city centre, the curb separation is strengthened by an extra gap between the cycle track and cars provides for a safer experience. [16], Although the first separate cycle tracks were constructed much earlier, they did not become the norm until the early 1980s. Medvedev believes the city bike approach could reduce traffic congestion in the city. At the same time, perception of safety has improved as well. As most cars are single occupancy, this also aids to prevent dooring accidents, as the driver exits the car on the opposite side of the cycle track. Picture a city with four individual metro lines, each with only two stops, and all completely detached from one another. In relation, Bremen with a very similar amount of population has 700 kilometres (430 mi) of curb segregated cycle tracks, but only a bit above 26 % cycle traffic. Most of them are associated with the original blog, the Copenhagen Cycle Chic. Below you will find a bunch of facts and figures about cycling in Denmark, and answers to some of the most common questions we get at the Cycling Embassy of Denmark. This has earned it a reputation as one of the most—possibly the most—bicycle-friendly city in the world. [37], The bicycle culture of Copenhagen brings both direct and derived economic benefits to the city. [80] As a result of Russian president Dmitri Medvedev's favorable impressions of Copenhagen's biking system during his visit to Denmark, 14 city bikes were sent to St Petersburg at the beginning of June 2010 where they will be available to citizens on an experimental basis. While this figure pales in comparison to public transport and private automobile infrastructure, it shows that cycling is taken seriously. [34], The Copenhagen City Heart Study involved 19,698 Copenhagen inhabitants aged 20–100 years in a cardiovascular population study and concluded that cycling at high or average speed increases life expectancy of the participants by 5 and 3 years respectively compared to those who cycle at low speed (4 and 2 respectively for women). Aside from factual information like the budget allocated to cycling infrastructure, the length of the bicycle network, modal share and the number of cyclists and accident statistics, it also contains surveys asking regular cyclists for their opinion on the infrastructure, maintenance, and their perceived sense of safety. The remarkable difference here is that these under-caffeinated commuters are getting to work by bike, joining a city-wide chorus of hundreds of thousands of Copenhageners that rely on the simple bicycle as their vehicle of choice. The Government was forced to introduce car-free Sundays to conserve oil reserves. How much does cycling save our society in health costs? We ... You should already know that Copenhagen is a city best experienced by bike. This simple detail gets bicycle riders into the intersection first and out of the blind spots of cars and trucks. Walk or cycle along one of the city’s high streets, and you may notice that the crossings at intersecting quieter residential streets are different. Everybody does it. Simpler yet, cycling infrastructure appears in four basic typologies: traffic calmed streets, painted bike lanes, separated cycle tracks, and green routes get you where you need to go. This, however, hinges on the requirement that cars drive no faster than 30 kilometres per hour, better yet, 20. [78] In this connection, Gehl took NYC planning chief Amanda Burden and transportation czar Janette Sadik-Khan on a bike trip around Copenhagen to show them what could be done for New York. People of all ages cycle in Copenhagen not only because it’s safe, but because it feels safe. 6", Bycyklen København: The citybike projekt in Copenhagen is closed, "Media Release: Copenhagen Comes To Swanston Street", "Inner: Swanston RMIT to Melbourne University", "British Transport Minister in Copenhagen", Mike Chino, "BIG Unveils Spiraling Cycling Pavilion in Shanghai", "The Bicycle as Symbol of China's Transformation", "In City of Cyclists, Pedestrians Feel Squeeze", "Københavns Politi: Cyklister er trafikkens gøgeunge", "Cykel-lobbyen: Cyklisterne er civiliserede", "The Fietsberaad – Bicycle policies of the European principals: continuous and integral", "Copenhagen's novel problem: too many cyclists", "Trængsel skaber ny cykelkultur i storbyen", "Berømt cykelblog skoser Københavns trafikpolitik", "Berlingske Mener: Hovedstaden hader bilister", Cycling Copenhagen through North American, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Cycling_in_Copenhagen&oldid=994940159, Articles with dead external links from August 2017, Articles with permanently dead external links, Articles with Danish-language sources (da), Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, Relative to 2010, cyclists’ travel time is reduced by 15%, 50% of all trips to work and school in Copenhagen is done on bicycles, Relative to 2005, the number of seriously injured cyclists will fall by 70%, 80% of cyclists find the cycle tracks well maintained, 80% of Copenhageners think that bicycle culture positively affects the city's atmosphere, 90% of cyclists feel safe cycling in traffic, This page was last edited on 18 December 2020, at 09:45.