bicycle superhighways

[Roland Beinert]

Here’s a link to a website that talks about bike superhighways proposed in the city of Copenhagen: http://www.copenhagenize.com/2009/08/bicycle-commuter-superhighways-in.html
I like the idea (of course, since I ride my bike all the time). I think bicycling is too often seen only as recreation in the US, and perhaps because of that, we have to fight for bike paths an inch at a time. It would nice to be able to commute longer distances as an alternative to using my car to reach places farther from where I live. Currently, I ride my bike to reach the library, any place downtown, and grocery stores. But it would have been nice to be able to ride all the way to work (when I was working) and to some of the stores that aren’t as close. Then I could save my gas for my rockhounding and hiking trips and any long distance travel I need to do. In other words, I’d like to be able to use my bike for the majority of my daily transport needs in the city and have my car for recreation rather than vice versa.

[nca]

Good discussion on that site. I like the comment by Rex about making the same mistakes as have been made in the past with regard to the development of the original motor car highway system, in essence, allowing more sprawl. Though I think the comment ignores the fact that you can only go so far, realistically, on a bicycle. I think, more or less, bicycles have a ‘range.’ Where the range is deemed too far by the cyclist, they drive. Automobile freeways allow a huge range compared to bicycles away from the city. The dilemma in America is, depending on your perspective of course, is that hardly anyone actually works in ‘the city’ anymore either.

Bicycles do at least offer the marginal benefits of exercise, reduction in congestion, some safety aspects, and reduction in greenhouse gases. I see a great student project here, too bad I’m not a student anymore, lol.

[Trace One]

I was a little disappointed in this – I once saw a design for real bicycle superhighways – elevated over the landscape..now that is what I want…some real infrastructure for bikes only…..
Although I do agree, in twenty years our paved america will have bicycles on all roads…when everyone’s car is teeny and electric, and goes comfortably 30mph most times..
🙂

[Roland Beinert]

I read that comment by Rex, too. But the thing is, because of the limited range of bikes that you mentioned, things would have to be a less sprawled out. It’s true that fewer people live and work in the inner city anymore, but a small part of a population can still be a large number of people.
I’d go so far as to say that bikes have some huge advantages over cars, but, like you were suggesting with your discussion of range, only in the denser inner-city. To the list you had, I would add that the infrastructure for bikes is much more compact. Bikes are much more manuverable in large crowds or traffic jams and can go places cars can’t. The difference in maintenance costs is huge. I spent $1300 fixing my car this year. The total expenses for bike maintenance were about $24 (my annoyance about my car right now is actually a large part of why I started this discussion, actually). Anyone who thinks that cars are really faster than bikes in the city is fooling themselves. Cars may be able to go 80 mph, but this is really only an advantage on intercity highways. In the city, the bikes will inevitably catch up and sometimes even pass cars at lights or in heavy traffic. I’ve seen it happen a lot.

[Roland Beinert]

I guess I’d just settle for decent bike lanes that don’t end abruptly and actually connect me to every place I need to go in the city. In Boise we have a greenbelt bike path. It’s a nice place to ride, but it only connects me to parks and only goes east-west.

[Roland Beinert]

Well, I have a need, but I guess I’m the minority, so I’ll never count. I see your point about the “build it and they will come” mentality. I know of plenty of places where some forms of alternative transit, like buses, are actively disliked.
On the other hand, I know of places where there is demand, but it’s ignored because of a conservative mentality. Maybe Boise is just a city where people love their bikes, but I do see plenty of people struggling along busy streets here with no bike lane. Could it be that some places are holding back when there is actually a demand?

[Roland Beinert]

Andrew, you bring up a good point about it being hard to retrofit built up areas for bike infrastructure. Then again, plenty of cities have added extra lanes for cars at a huge expense, and bike infrastructure is much more compact and probably much less expensive.
I think this article from treehugger illustrates the compactness of bike infrastructure pretty well: http://www.treehugger.com/files/2009/08/42-bromptons.php
I guess those are folding bikes, though, and small wheeled ones. I don’t know how much space 42 normal bikes would take or even larger folding bikes like my Montague. Still likely to be far less than cars or buses, though.

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