The creation of a brand-new bridge over the busy harbor front is to demonstrate how the infrastructure is always the same result: if you build more roads for cars, cars will fill. If you make pedestrian, pedestrians will fill you build bike lanes, bicycles will be filled! The municipality of Copenhagen chose the last option and the result is once again amazing. The lively, pedestrian and cyclists, road passing in front of the front of the port often cause problems as they all looked for a place in the road - pedestrians and cyclists. Spyros Papageorgiou - Daily The latest addition to the city, however, the situation changed completely . The project Cykelslangen or bike Snake, started eight years ago, is an elevated, orange bridge 235 meters long and 4 meters wide, enough to create two bicycle lanes, with fairly mild slope - which is achieved by the snake like shape , which increases the distance by tilting sweeter.
The logic of creating a bridge is not something unique. This time, however, created exclusively for the bike in order to beautify the lives of residents and to facilitate the passage of bicycles and pedestrians. The project, commissioned by the City of Copenhagen and designed by the architectural firm DISSING + WEITLING, cost 32 million. Crowns, ie 4.3 million. Euros (understand the cost of a corresponding project cars) and already used daily by more than 8,000 bicycle users daily who enjoy the wonderful feeling of cyclists on the surface of the water. Cycling is a favorite method of travel, just because people have found to be the most convenient and fastest way. And this creates the need for more and more infrastructure. Fortunately the municipality responds positively creating "bike highways" safe lanes, parking spaces and bridges now. This is actually more public space for the bike. And because the "more" for the bike is 'less' than much of the car, and still enough space for pedestrians and cars moving in comfort, since about 50% of city residents choose the bike. Impressive numbers Over 23% of daily trips made by bicycle in a city of 1.5 million. residents which has more than 1000 km of cycle paths. About 30,000 cyclists passed the peak of specific points on main roads every day. 80% of users use the bike all year round and 25% of these features and «cargo bikes», ie bicycles for transport objects or children at school. According to MiKael Colville Andersen, the man behind the word «Copenhagenize », ie the reduction of the Danish lifestyle cycling life style, nothing is random. "It was before about 30 years after the first oil crisis, when the town realized that the situation was not going anymore. Many cars, pollution, noise, alienation, accidents and residents moved to the suburbs in search of more space. The city center was destroyed. The revenue of the municipality continuously reduced by the reduction of municipal taxes, as well as the shops were closed and entire neighborhoods languish. The municipality was facing the possibility of bankruptcy, while the lives of citizens was unbearable.
The solution came from the same municipality: older people were happier, had more leisure time and commuting to their jobs and leisure cycling. Should we return to this treaty? Prepared foreground gradual "removal" private from the city center with the simultaneous creation of infrastructure for cycling and public transport. The Transportation began working intensively and soon, infrastructure, start simple, economical and functional, they took the whole family on the road. The miracle of Copenhagen was not in one day. It took decades. Mistakes were made, corrective action found brave politicians who ignored the short-term costs of public protests - because people are everywhere and they do not want the changes ... The aim of the municipality Today, 23% of total urban mobility - even when chionizei- bike is the goal of the municipality is to reach 50% in the coming years. To achieve this and given the climatic conditions in Denmark, the bike paths are first cleaned when it snows, there are efforts to gain wider making them safer and single flow. This means that in fact the bicycle is at least "two lanes". Peak and when the bikes touching 30 or 35 thousand in specific streets, traffic lights are configured so that if one starts with green and moves steadily at 20 km. Wait to not have to stop at traffic lights through the center of city.
Thus creating "high-speed bike paths" and the movement is the fastest way possible. Danes do not use the bike because they have "different culture." Changed since the previous culture had led to an impasse - the same where we are today. 30 years ago, the Danes did protests against the bike, trying to protect his life away. Why had not seen a difference. They saw, however, their politicians. And in time the accepted people seeing their lives improve. In Greece the opposite has happened. Large numbers of people have seen the need and trying, with difficulty, regularly risking his life, to include cycling in everyday life, but not even the politicians. The local authority and political power should take a closer look around them. Let's see how they address the issue other societies with different yet so similar problems to ours. We believe that the primary reason to get the bike to the Greek cities is the quality of life, the creation of 'human' cities. Improving the health and economic growth. "Development of bicycle infrastructure is not free," says Mr. Andersen. "And infrastructure without limiting the car is impossible to exist. No city in Europe is not so broad avenues to accommodate cars, public transport, bicycles and pedestrians. Someone should be limited. " With the development of the car saw the results: contamination, noise, costs, removal of citizens from the town centers. Is it time to try and Greece something new and yet so old ... and proven successful in more and more cities in the world?
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| The Bike Miracle Copenhagen |
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