{"id":26461,"date":"2024-01-22T15:45:36","date_gmt":"2024-01-22T15:45:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.argonandco.com\/?post_type=article&p=26461"},"modified":"2024-01-22T15:45:36","modified_gmt":"2024-01-22T15:45:36","slug":"cycleway-networks-in-large-cities-across-the-globe-a-closer-look","status":"publish","type":"article","link":"https:\/\/www.argonandco.com\/en\/news-insights\/articles\/cycleway-networks-in-large-cities-across-the-globe-a-closer-look\/","title":{"rendered":"Cycleway networks in large cities across the globe: a closer look"},"content":{"rendered":"

In the past few months, I\u2019ve had the opportunity to commute to work by bike. And here\u2019s what I have noticed: in the Netherlands (especially in the city of Utrecht), bike infrastructure is great. So, lots of people use it to commute to work or school. During trips abroad, I saw that that\u2019s definitely not always the case in other big cities, such as London, Paris, Istanbul, Barcelona, Buenos Aires, and Lima (a random sample of cities where I conducted some accidental field research over the past few years).<\/p>\n

And it comes with consequences. These places generally have lower air quality and higher traffic congestion, and they\u2019re less safe for those few people who are exceptions to the rule and do<\/em> decide to take the bike to work or school. But in recent years, some of these cities have launched cycling infrastructure boosting projects. So, let\u2019s have a look at these developments. Which ones stand out? And can we expect to commute by bike (while inhaling somewhat healthy air) in large cities across borders anytime soon?<\/p>\n

What\u2019s the state of cycling infrastructure in large cities around the world?<\/h3>\n

When comparing the current state of cycling infrastructure in large cities in the Netherlands and abroad, I could take countless factors into account \u2014 from cycling popularity, bicycle ownership, and shared bicycle programs to air quality and traffic accidents. Luckily, this is a blog post \u2014 not an extensive advisory document. That\u2019s why I\u2019d like to limit the complexity. We\u2019ll consider the size of each city\u2019s cycleway network: the total distance of (semi-)separated routes specifically designated for bicycle travel. This should give us an idea of the suitability of cycling as a mode of transportation in these respective cities.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Figure 1: Actual size of the cycleway network (km).<\/em><\/p>\n

Of course, this is a random selection of large cities. But the Dutch cities (including Utrecht, our office\u2019s hometown) are frontrunners. Istanbul, London, and Paris are not far behind. The Spanish-speaking cities in this selection seem to be less cycling-oriented, at least in terms of street design.<\/p>\n

However, this isn\u2019t an entirely fair comparison, as Utrecht is home to 360,000 people (fun fact: 94% of them own a bike<\/a>), while Istanbul boasts a population of 16 million people. So, let\u2019s consider the size of each cycleway network per capita.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Figure 2: Actual size of the cycleway network (meters per capita).<\/em><\/p>\n

Each Utrecht resident has their own 1 meter and 17 centimeters of cycleway. Here\u2019s what that means: if everyone in the city would simultaneously hop on a bike, there would be enough space for them \u2014 from front to rear wheel. Meanwhile, both Paris and Barcelona offer a mere 17 cycleway centimeters to each of their residents. It\u2019s a huge difference. But it might be about to change. Cyclists now outnumber motorists in London<\/a>, while Paris is to become a 100% cycling city<\/a>. And Barcelona is turning into one of the most bike-friendly cities<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Will fervent Dutch cyclists feel at home in cities like London and Paris?<\/h3>\n

While cities such as London, Istanbul, and Paris have ambitious plans regarding their infrastructures, the Dutch obsession with cycling keeps the Netherlands at a different level \u2014 especially since the Dutch likely won\u2019t halt further development, either. So, they\u2019ll probably continue to be in the lead when it comes to cycleway networks.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Figure 3: Planned size of the cycleway network (meters per capita) based on openly available cycleway network expansion plans for Istanbul (ASAP), London (2041), Paris (2026), and Lima (ASAP). <\/em><\/p>\n

Based on the quick-and-dirty analysis we\u2019ve performed, here\u2019s the conclusion we can draw: if you live in Istanbul, London, Paris, Barcelona, Buenos Aires, or Lima, you enjoy making your way through the city on a bike, and you\u2019re willing to weather some rain, I\u2019d recommend that you move to the Netherlands.<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re Dutch and you plan on discovering one of the other cities we\u2019ve discussed by bike, be prepared for some challenges \u2014 at least during the next few years.<\/p>\n

Sources on population per city:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
City<\/strong><\/td>\nLink<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Utrecht<\/td>\nhttps:\/\/www.utrecht.nl\/bestuur-en-organisatie\/publicaties\/onderzoek-en-cijfers\/onderzoek-over-utrecht\/bevolkingsprognose\/#:~:text=Op%201%20januari%202022%20telde%20Utrecht%20361.742%20inwoners.<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Amsterdam<\/td>\nhttps:\/\/onderzoek.amsterdam.nl\/artikel\/prognose-bevolking-2023-2050<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Istanbul<\/td>\nhttps:\/\/cityofistanbul.net\/istanbul-population\/<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
London<\/td>\nhttps:\/\/trustforlondon.org.uk\/data\/geography-population\/<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Paris<\/td>\nhttps:\/\/www.rfi.fr\/en\/france\/20221231-paris-population-drops-as-thousands-quit-capital-city-every-yearhttps:\/\/www.rfi.fr\/en\/france\/20221231-paris-population-drops-as-thousands-quit-capital-city-every-year<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Barcelona<\/td>\nhttps:\/\/www.idescat.cat\/emex\/?id=080193&lang=es<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Buenos Aires<\/td>\nhttps:\/\/www.argentina.gob.ar\/caba#:~:text=Datos%20Jurisdiccionales,612%20habitantes%20(Censo%202022).<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Lima<\/td>\nhttps:\/\/m.inei.gob.pe\/prensa\/noticias\/lima-supera-los-10-millones-de-habitantes-al-ano-2022-13297\/<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

Sources on cycling infrastructure per city:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
City<\/strong><\/td>\nLink<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Utrecht<\/td>\nhttps:\/\/www.utrecht.nl\/city-of-utrecht\/mobility\/cycling
\n<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Amsterdam<\/td>\nhttps:\/\/www.iamsterdam.com\/en\/travel-stay\/getting-around\/cycling-in-amsterdam<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Istanbul<\/td>\nhttps:\/\/www.hurriyetdailynews.com\/istanbul-gets-36-kms-of-bike-lane-33209#:~:text=Istanbul%20aims%20to%20have%20built%201%2C004%20kilometers%20of,by%20the%20Istanbul%20Metropolitan%20Municipality%E2%80%99s%20Transportation%20Coordination%20Administration<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
London<\/td>\nhttps:\/\/www.london.gov.uk\/press-releases\/mayoral\/mayor-and-tfl-announce-work-on-four-new-routes<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Paris<\/td>\nhttps:\/\/www.paris.fr\/pages\/un-nouveau-plan-velo-pour-une-ville-100-cyclable-19554<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Barcelona<\/td>\nhttps:\/\/ajuntament.barcelona.cat\/bicicleta\/en\/services\/cycle-routes\/type-of-the-route\/cycle-lanes<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Buenos Aires<\/td>\nhttps:\/\/www.weforum.org\/agenda\/2021\/01\/buenos-aires-argentina-cycle-lanes-pollution\/<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Lima<\/td>\nhttps:\/\/gestion.pe\/peru\/ciclovias-proyectan-construir-147-km-de-red-de-vias-para-bicicletas-en-29-distritos-de-lima-noticia\/<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":26499,"template":"","categories":[],"region":[256],"class_list":["post-26461","article","type-article","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nCycleway networks in large cities across the globe: a closer look - Argon & Co<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.argonandco.com\/en\/news-insights\/articles\/cycleway-networks-in-large-cities-across-the-globe-a-closer-look\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_GB\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Cycleway networks in large cities across the globe: a closer look - Argon & Co\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"In the past few months, I\u2019ve had the opportunity to commute to work by bike. 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