The City of Copenhagen has decided to double the current bicycle budget. Normally there is 75 million Danish kroner a year [€10 million / $15 million] but now they are chucking in an extra 75 million.The reason? Making Copenhagen the world’s unrivalled bike capital by 2015, as well as the leading environmentally-friendly city by the same date.The cool thing is that the extra 75 million is earmarked for “spoiling” the city’s cyclists and it is the people who get to decide how the extra money will be used. Now THAT is a gift that keeps on giving.So… what do the cyclists of Copenhagen want? Two workshops were held and the public was invited to bring suggestions and ideas to the table. The City’s Technical and Environmental Commission will work out the costs and figure out which items on the wishlist are possible.This is a list of some of the ideas presented by citizens. The headline was “The City in 2015 - how does it look?“A CYCLING MEKKACyclists have conquered the streetsThere are few accidentsThere is room for both fast and slow cyclistsCyclists get a tax break for ridingThe main boulevards are now underground tunnels for cars.INFRASTRUCTURECycle tunnels under and bridges over the harbourBike paths all the way along the harbour, on both sidesBike motorways straight to the city centreCycling allowed in all green areas (some parks are bike-free zones)Three lane bike lanes for different speedsGreen Wave system on all traffic lightsLIFESTYLETrendsetting bike designBikes that symbolise who I amOur City Bikes are gorgeously designedEXPERIENCESBeautiful routes with great viewsMore trees planted along bike routesMore bike eventsSERVICECreation of service stations along bike routes where you can pump your tyres and charge bike lightsThe City loans out free bikesFree City Bikes to all CopenhagenersFree bike lightsMandatory warning sounds on busses when turningBEHAVIOURCycling courses for locals and touristsA city without bike locksNo bikes left behindEveryone checks over their shoulder before turningCycling training tracks for kidsEveryone is friendly and smilesPARKINGMany smart bike racksFantastically gorgeous bike parkingNewly-invented multistory bike parkingBike racks with attached service centresMore covered bike racks.Sure, we’re spolied already after almost a half a century of urban planning and investment in infrastructure, but it is interesting to see what our citizens would choose if they had the opportunity.Which they do.
There is a very cool website called Copenhagen X
- Your shortcut to an evolving city. It highlights all the architectural and design developments in Copenhagen.
