Amsterdam Adds to Its Embarrassment of Bicycle Riches

With a plan to spend $150 million on bike infrastructure over the next eight years, Amsterdam is cementing its reputation as "the capital of European biking," and doubling down on a pledge to "remain a clean and accessible city."

1 minute read

November 13, 2012, 5:00 AM PST

By Jonathan Nettler @nettsj


Amsterdam Bikes

web4camguy / Flickr

With more bikes than people, and a 43 percent bicycle commuting mode share, Amsterdam is certainly the envy of global cities (such as London, Paris, Barcelona, and New York) that are trying to expand their bicycling infrastructure. With the recent announcement of $150 million of investment in upgrading bike routes and enhancing bicycle storage, those cities chasing Amsterdam are going to be left in the dust, reports Christopher F. Schuetze.  

"Amsterdam will fund some 38,000 additional bike parking places at many of the city's railroad and public transportation hubs, as well as other popular sites such as the Museum. Most impressive, perhaps, is the plan to build a new indoor storage place that by 2020 can fit up to 17,500 bikes close to the central train station."

"In addition to the extra spaces, the city will create more bike parking laws and enforce existing ones, ensuring Amsterdammers do not leave their bikes for longer than 14 days in at high-demand locations."

 

Monday, November 12, 2012 in The New York Times

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