User:Sertmann/sandbox/Municipal bicycle strategy of Copenhagen



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 worlds best city to cycle in. The strategy replaces the previous cycling policy covering the years 2002 to 2012. to reach the target the city has chosen to focus om four core areas; city life, comfort, speed and safety

Comfort
During rush hour the bicycle infrastructure is under increasing pressure, and is not uncommon for bike jams to occur along the busiest corridors. Not only does this slow cyclists down, with speed and convenience being key reasons why Copenhageners choose to cycle, it also increases insecurity for cyclists in the city. In order to increase the modal share of the bicycle, the city deems it necessary to address this problem by establishing a plus (or A) net on 80% of the network, with widened cycle tracks carrying 3 lanes in each direction, to make it possible for people to ride at their preferred speed, allow for conversational cycling and for kids to cycle next to their mum or dad without being disturbed, while also making cycling more attractive for those who are too insecure to cycle today. Another area where the city plans on increasing comfort is by using better quality low friction asphalt during repavements, path widening and when building new bike paths.

City life
There are as many bikes as people in Copenhagen, and a number of projects have been launched to ease Copenhagen's notorious shortage of bicycle parking spaces, particularly at transport hubs. These include plans for 2,500 new bicycle spaces, placed sunken 'bicycle beds' in connection with a refurbishment of Nørreport Station and an architectural competition for a new 7,000 bicycle parking facility above the rail tracks at Central Station, due to open in 2013. . Other initiatives include expansion of a recently tested flexible parking solution in front of a local school, where bicycles and cars share parking space, the space is reserved for bikes during school hours Monday to Friday 7.30 to 17, and cars the rest of the day, following a successful evaluation and a number of improvements for cargo bikes through development of a number standard solutions which are not yet in place. While the city expects there will still be more bicycles in Copenhagen than parking spots, the city hopes to increase satisfaction with bicycle parking significantly by 2025, through a coordinated effort to improve conditions and facilities – in partnership with shops, workplaces and public transport providers.

Speed
In order to further increase the competitiveness of bikes the city plans a number of measures to improve travel times for cyclists. For example through expansion of the green waves for cyclists where traffic lights are coordinated to the speed of the bicycle (20 km/h) rather than for cars, the city also plans on improving the green waves by installing various ITS solutions such as green LED lane lights in the pavement that is turned on when the cyclist in flowing with the wave, a test installation has been installed on Finsensvej in Frederikberg for the new Super Bicycle Path that opened in 2012, another solution installed on Nørrebrogade shows the cyclist if his or her speed matches the 20 km/h of the Green wave. Further initiatives is establishing more short cuts through parks, building contraflow bicycle lanes on busy one way streets and allowing cyclists to cycle against traffic on quieter ones. Another tool the city is currently currently testing is painting overtaking lanes on wide and busy bicycle corridors.

Finally a number of new pedestrian and cycle bridges across the main harbour as well as canals are planned, to make for more direct routes, increasing overall traveling speed and improving safety.Recently completed new bridges include Bryggebroen across the harbour, connecting Vesterbro and Islands Brygge, and Åbroen over the heavily used artery Åboulevarden. There are plans for a new bridge across the harbour as well as a number of smaller bridges across canals, which will improve access to Christianshavn and in particular Holmen. Another planned pedestrian and cycle bridge, to be designed by Icelandic-Danish artist Olafur Eliasson, will cross the southern mouth of Christianshavn Canal, facilitating passage along the waterfront.

Safety
Besides widening the cycle tracks as part of the PLUSnet, and establish the green cycle network, which while both improving on the cyclists sense of safety, also deals with a number of other issues, the city's strategy also includes a number of specific measures to address cycling safety, both real and perceived. For example, cycle tracks running right up to the intersection with blue bicycle lanes continuing the path through busy ones, while at the same time pulling back the stop lines for cars so that cyclists are in front of the cars and have the advantage when the light turns green. Complete redesigns of complex intersections and junctions with a high number of accidents. The city will also launch campaigns related to consideration and behaviour and has initiated a Safer routes to schools programme to lower speeds