Research Paper on Cycling and How Some Countries Have Made It Irresistible

http://policy.rutgers.edu/faculty/pucher/Irresistible.pdf

Here's the Abstract
This paper shows how the Netherlands, Denmark, and Germany have made bicycling a safe, convenient, and practical way to get around their cities. The analysis relies on national aggregate data as well as case studies of large and small cities in each country. The key to achieving high levels of cycling appears to be the provision of separate cycling facilities along heavily traveled roads and at intersections, combined with traffic calming of most residential neighborhoods. Extensive cycling rights of way in the Netherlands, Denmark, and Germany are complemented by ample bike parking, full integration with public transport, comprehensive traffic education and training of both cyclists and motorists, and a wide range of promotional events intended to generate enthusiasm and wide public support for cycling. In addition to their many pro-bike policies and programs, the Netherlands, Denmark, and Germany make driving expensive as well as inconvenient in central cities through a host of taxes and restrictions on car ownership, use, and parking. Moreover, strict land use policies foster compact, mixed-use developments that generate shorter and thus more bikeable trips. It is the coordinated implementation of this multifaceted, mutually reinforcing set of policies that best explains the success of these three countries in promoting cycling. For comparison, the paper portrays the marginal status of cycling in the UK and USA, where only about one percent of trips are by bike.


It's worth a read - not too long. No wonder Bree, Emy and I feel so at home in the Netherlands! I don't even want to imagine the amount of $$$ it would take to transform cities in the USA to make cycling a more viable and safe mode to dominate transportation (let your kids ride helmetless?), and the current economic crisis isn't going to help policymakers open the government pocketbooks. However, it must be done - all the rhetoric about reducing the need for foreign oil and clean energy simply underlines the need. I, for one, would be happy to forgo the car in favor of bike, bus and train, if it were actually feasible to get everywhere you need to go with few to no transfers, and easy access to safe, bicycle only routes. Someday.