Copenhagen now has more bikes than cars

[VanessainVictoria]

In the US, the average commuter spends 42 hours stuck in traffic every year, according to a report by the Texas Transportation Institute.

But US cities aren't even close to the most congested. Navigation company TomTom unsurprisingly ranked Los Angeles the most congested city in the US, which ranks 12th worldwide.

But more cities are starting to support biking to decrease congestion and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Copenhagen now has more bikes than cars for the first time since 1970, which was the year authorities began collecting data on the two modes of transportation, according to the World Economic Forum. In the last year, 265,700 bikes made their way into the city compared to 252,600 cars.

Copenhagenize Design Company, an urban design consultancy company based in Copenhagen and Brussels, puts together a bi-annual index listing the most bike-friendly cities in the world. Copenhagenize evaluated 122 cities with a regional population topping 600,000 people.

5. Eindhoven, Netherlands
The city of Eindhoven has gone to great lengths to become more biking friendly. In 2012, Eindhoven completed a floating roundabout just for cyclists called the Hovenring, pictured above. The Hovenring is used by thousands of cyclists a week, according to a 2013 Gizmodo article.

4. Strasbourg, France
The city of Strasbourg has over 300 miles of biking routes, according to the Copenhagenize Index. Strasbourg also has a bike-share system called Vélhop that allows for long-term rentals.

3. Utrecht, Netherlands
Utrecht placed third in the 2013 Copenhagenize Index as well. The city is building the world's largest underground bike park — a $48 million project set to be completed in 2018, according to Dutch News. When completed, the facility will fit 12,500 bikes.


2. Amsterdam, Netherlands
You'll notice that the Netherlands has been sweeping this list. According to Fietsersbond, the Cyclists' Union of Amsterdam, there are 18 million bikes in the country. In the city of Amsterdam, the number of bikes exceed the number of people.


1. Copenhagen, Denmark
It should come as no surprise that Copenhagen ranks first, especially now that there are more bikes than cars. According to the 2015 Copenhagenize Index, the city continues to invest heavily in its bike infrastructure, especially in bike-only bridges.

Copenhagen is even trying to use bike travel times as the baseline for traffic lights.- businessinsider. Com

 

[overdone]

Copenhagen is also the size of a small town in Canada

Vancouver, just actual Vancouver not including the rest of the lower mainland, it alone is about 3X the size

Edmonton is around 20X

big wonder why biking will never catch on here

 

[VanessainVictoria]

Copenhagen is also the size of a small town in Canada

Vancouver, just actual Vancouver not including the rest of the lower mainland, it alone is about 3X the size

Edmonton is around 20X

big wonder why biking will never catch on here

Copenhagen is still bigger than Victoria, could Victoria be a cycling city?

 

[summerbreeze]

have to remember that European cities have very narrow roads and parking is a real pain, also the distances are far shorter and many are flatter than our sprawling NA cities

would be difficult to apply the same logic from one city to another in terms of reasons for changing

good on the Danes however for being so progressive

 

[jgg]

In the US, the average commuter spends 42 hours stuck in traffic every year, according to a report by the Texas Transportation Institute.

But US cities aren't even close to the most congested. Navigation company TomTom unsurprisingly ranked Los Angeles the most congested city in the US, which ranks 12th worldwide.

But more cities are starting to support biking to decrease congestion and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Copenhagen now has more bikes than cars for the first time since 1970, which was the year authorities began collecting data on the two modes of transportation, according to the World Economic Forum. In the last year, 265,700 bikes made their way into the city compared to 252,600 cars.

Copenhagenize Design Company, an urban design consultancy company based in Copenhagen and Brussels, puts together a bi-annual index listing the most bike-friendly cities in the world. Copenhagenize evaluated 122 cities with a regional population topping 600,000 people.

5. Eindhoven, Netherlands
The city of Eindhoven has gone to great lengths to become more biking friendly. In 2012, Eindhoven completed a floating roundabout just for cyclists called the Hovenring, pictured above. The Hovenring is used by thousands of cyclists a week, according to a 2013 Gizmodo article.

4. Strasbourg, France
The city of Strasbourg has over 300 miles of biking routes, according to the Copenhagenize Index. Strasbourg also has a bike-share system called Vélhop that allows for long-term rentals.

3. Utrecht, Netherlands
Utrecht placed third in the 2013 Copenhagenize Index as well. The city is building the world's largest underground bike park — a $48 million project set to be completed in 2018, according to Dutch News. When completed, the facility will fit 12,500 bikes.


2. Amsterdam, Netherlands
You'll notice that the Netherlands has been sweeping this list. According to Fietsersbond, the Cyclists' Union of Amsterdam, there are 18 million bikes in the country. In the city of Amsterdam, the number of bikes exceed the number of people.


1. Copenhagen, Denmark
It should come as no surprise that Copenhagen ranks first, especially now that there are more bikes than cars. According to the 2015 Copenhagenize Index, the city continues to invest heavily in its bike infrastructure, especially in bike-only bridges.

Copenhagen is even trying to use bike travel times as the baseline for traffic lights.- businessinsider. Com

I've been to the cities you've mentioned Vanessa. I didn't know theses statistics at the time. I saw large multi-level parkaides, for bikes at train stations. People would bike to the station from their home, park the bike, take the train to the city they worked in and then take their second bike to the work place. Yes...there are more bikes than people. You also have to appreciate that their rail system is much more extensive and punctual than ours. Out here in the boonies, Via may arrive sometime Tuesday.

 

[badbadboy]

I've visited Copenhagen and they do have a lot of cyclists. Where they are a lot different from our situation is many roads are designated cycling, walking only etc. They do have very narrow roads that are basically paved horse paths from the 19th Century that lend itself best to cycling and walking.

Perhaps making Granville Street a Buses, Bikes and walking street only? Give a Hornby etc back to the cars ?

 

[UhOh]

Who wants to be cycling in a city that gets 300 days of rain per year. I like to be warm and dry when I get to work, I'll be taking the car.

 

[Rockem]

Many cities in Europe were already densely populated before cars so as mentioned above the roads are narrow and cobbled and rarely allow more than 1 small 2 cylinder putt putt car by in each direction. Of course outside of the cities you get normal highway infrastructure and even normal roads in some parts of some cities but that last bit is a rarity from what I've seen in Europe. I met a group of VERY friendly Belgian girls in Spain and they were absolutely mortified that I do not own a bike and put 20k km per year on my car.

 

[summerbreeze]

Well, if you have to park 4 blocks away and walk due to limited parking it is still an inconvenience in the rain

But I agree with you and what about slush and snow in the winter time

Copenhagen and Amsterdam are pretty bad for narrow streets and limited parking

that's why they prefer tiny cars over there

 

[Bridge]

Copenhagen is still bigger than Victoria, could Victoria be a cycling city?

It would be great to see Victoria as a cycling city. The infrastructure is slowly being built, the situation for cyclists is become safer, the time differential between commuting by bike and car is narrowing, and the exercise factor is a no-brainer!

 

[Bridge]

Who wants to be cycling in a city that gets 300 days of rain per year. I like to be warm and dry when I get to work, I'll be taking the car.

I wear wet weather gear, good quality waterproof gloves, and gaitors over my shoes and I get to work dry. Having said that I do not cycle in snow or ice!!

 

[papillion]

In the US, the average commuter spends 42 hours stuck in traffic every year, according to a report by the Texas Transportation Institute.

But US cities aren't even close to the most congested. Navigation company TomTom unsurprisingly ranked Los Angeles the most congested city in the US, which ranks 12th worldwide.

But more cities are starting to support biking to decrease congestion and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Copenhagen now has more bikes than cars for the first time since 1970, which was the year authorities began collecting data on the two modes of transportation, according to the World Economic Forum. In the last year, 265,700 bikes made their way into the city compared to 252,600 cars.

Copenhagenize Design Company, an urban design consultancy company based in Copenhagen and Brussels, puts together a bi-annual index listing the most bike-friendly cities in the world. Copenhagenize evaluated 122 cities with a regional population topping 600,000 people.

5. Eindhoven, Netherlands
The city of Eindhoven has gone to great lengths to become more biking friendly. In 2012, Eindhoven completed a floating roundabout just for cyclists called the Hovenring, pictured above. The Hovenring is used by thousands of cyclists a week, according to a 2013 Gizmodo article.

4. Strasbourg, France
The city of Strasbourg has over 300 miles of biking routes, according to the Copenhagenize Index. Strasbourg also has a bike-share system called Vélhop that allows for long-term rentals.

3. Utrecht, Netherlands
Utrecht placed third in the 2013 Copenhagenize Index as well. The city is building the world's largest underground bike park — a $48 million project set to be completed in 2018, according to Dutch News. When completed, the facility will fit 12,500 bikes.


2. Amsterdam, Netherlands
You'll notice that the Netherlands has been sweeping this list. According to Fietsersbond, the Cyclists' Union of Amsterdam, there are 18 million bikes in the country. In the city of Amsterdam, the number of bikes exceed the number of people.


1. Copenhagen, Denmark
It should come as no surprise that Copenhagen ranks first, especially now that there are more bikes than cars. According to the 2015 Copenhagenize Index, the city continues to invest heavily in its bike infrastructure, especially in bike-only bridges.

Copenhagen is even trying to use bike travel times as the baseline for traffic lights.- businessinsider. Com

Its good to see, Danes have a long history of being an bike friendly culture.
Hopefully it will happen in Canada eventually.