|
|
Thread Tools | Display Modes |
#1
|
|||
|
|||
Beyond the Autobahn: Germany's New Bike Highways
With the recent opening of a "bike highway," Germany is taking the lead in Europe by starting to build a network of wide, dedicated bicycle thoroughfares designed to lure increasing numbers of commuters out of their cars and onto two wheels.
Cycling highways are fundamentally different from usual cycling lanes. Highways are around 4 to 5 meters wide -- twice the width of many bike paths -- so faster cyclists can overtake slower ones in both directions. High-quality asphalt is often used to enable bicyclists to travel faster. These highways are designed with few or no intersections with major roads, and as few traffic lights as possible -- all intended to enable cyclists to travel effortlessly within or among cities and suburbs. Like autobahns, the biking highways are designed to allow travelers to cover large distances without leaving the network. http://www.resilience.org/stories/20...bike-highways# Cheers |
Ads |
#2
|
|||
|
|||
Beyond the Autobahn: Germany's New Bike Highways
On 2/25/2016 9:59 PM, Sir Ridesalot wrote:
With the recent opening of a "bike highway," Germany is taking the lead in Europe by starting to build a network of wide, dedicated bicycle thoroughfares designed to lure increasing numbers of commuters out of their cars and onto two wheels. Cycling highways are fundamentally different from usual cycling lanes. Highways are around 4 to 5 meters wide -- twice the width of many bike paths -- so faster cyclists can overtake slower ones in both directions. High-quality asphalt is often used to enable bicyclists to travel faster. These highways are designed with few or no intersections with major roads, and as few traffic lights as possible -- all intended to enable cyclists to travel effortlessly within or among cities and suburbs. Like autobahns, the biking highways are designed to allow travelers to cover large distances without leaving the network. http://www.resilience.org/stories/20...bike-highways# I've read about this before, but I've not seen any details on how they will arrange for "few or no intersections with major roads" while still being useful for transportation. It seems there would be relatively few locations that could be practically served while meeting that criterion. We'll see, I suppose. But words like "spearheading a growing movement" and "planners are considering" sound a bit hypothetical. Again, we'll see. -- - Frank Krygowski |
#3
|
|||
|
|||
Beyond the Autobahn: Germany's New Bike Highways
On 26/02/16 15:04, Frank Krygowski wrote:
On 2/25/2016 9:59 PM, Sir Ridesalot wrote: With the recent opening of a "bike highway," Germany is taking the lead in Europe by starting to build a network of wide, dedicated bicycle thoroughfares designed to lure increasing numbers of commuters out of their cars and onto two wheels. Cycling highways are fundamentally different from usual cycling lanes. Highways are around 4 to 5 meters wide -- twice the width of many bike paths -- so faster cyclists can overtake slower ones in both directions. High-quality asphalt is often used to enable bicyclists to travel faster. These highways are designed with few or no intersections with major roads, and as few traffic lights as possible -- all intended to enable cyclists to travel effortlessly within or among cities and suburbs. Like autobahns, the biking highways are designed to allow travelers to cover large distances without leaving the network. http://www.resilience.org/stories/20...bike-highways# I've read about this before, but I've not seen any details on how they will arrange for "few or no intersections with major roads" while still being useful for transportation. It seems there would be relatively few locations that could be practically served while meeting that criterion. Grade separation. -- JS |
#4
|
|||
|
|||
Beyond the Autobahn: Germany's New Bike Highways
On 26/02/2016 2:33 AM, James wrote:
On 26/02/16 15:04, Frank Krygowski wrote: On 2/25/2016 9:59 PM, Sir Ridesalot wrote: With the recent opening of a "bike highway," Germany is taking the lead in Europe by starting to build a network of wide, dedicated bicycle thoroughfares designed to lure increasing numbers of commuters out of their cars and onto two wheels. Cycling highways are fundamentally different from usual cycling lanes. Highways are around 4 to 5 meters wide -- twice the width of many bike paths -- so faster cyclists can overtake slower ones in both directions. High-quality asphalt is often used to enable bicyclists to travel faster. These highways are designed with few or no intersections with major roads, and as few traffic lights as possible -- all intended to enable cyclists to travel effortlessly within or among cities and suburbs. Like autobahns, the biking highways are designed to allow travelers to cover large distances without leaving the network. http://www.resilience.org/stories/20...bike-highways# I've read about this before, but I've not seen any details on how they will arrange for "few or no intersections with major roads" while still being useful for transportation. It seems there would be relatively few locations that could be practically served while meeting that criterion. Grade separation. In the picture it looks like there's an overpass with some sort of exit to the sides. This is similar to a plan here in Montreal where they are rebuilding an area called the Turcot Interchange. |
#5
|
|||
|
|||
Beyond the Autobahn: Germany's New Bike Highways
On 2/25/2016 11:33 PM, James wrote:
Grade separation. Yes, this is how it's done in the U.S. We have many such grade separated MUPs in my area, and if we could just ban pedestrians, scooters, skateboarders, roller-bladers, etc., they'd be a lot faster. Actually they're already pretty good during weekday commute times, but on weekends they get those other uses in large quantities. They've spent a lot of money doing grade separation, and they do it gradually, starting off with traffic lights then building overpasses. |
#6
|
|||
|
|||
Beyond the Autobahn: Germany's New Bike Highways
using standard GooSearch, no German map showed... https://goo.gl/k32hs9 https://www.google.com/search?site=i...ade+separation grade separation reads like a term used in Congress for PORK |
#7
|
|||
|
|||
Beyond the Autobahn: Germany's New Bike Highways
On 2/26/2016 1:33 AM, James wrote:
On 26/02/16 15:04, Frank Krygowski wrote: On 2/25/2016 9:59 PM, Sir Ridesalot wrote: With the recent opening of a "bike highway," Germany is taking the lead in Europe by starting to build a network of wide, dedicated bicycle thoroughfares designed to lure increasing numbers of commuters out of their cars and onto two wheels. Cycling highways are fundamentally different from usual cycling lanes. Highways are around 4 to 5 meters wide -- twice the width of many bike paths -- so faster cyclists can overtake slower ones in both directions. High-quality asphalt is often used to enable bicyclists to travel faster. These highways are designed with few or no intersections with major roads, and as few traffic lights as possible -- all intended to enable cyclists to travel effortlessly within or among cities and suburbs. Like autobahns, the biking highways are designed to allow travelers to cover large distances without leaving the network. http://www.resilience.org/stories/20...bike-highways# I've read about this before, but I've not seen any details on how they will arrange for "few or no intersections with major roads" while still being useful for transportation. It seems there would be relatively few locations that could be practically served while meeting that criterion. Grade separation. Gee what could that cost? http://www.channel3000.com/news/Cons...pring/37691412 -- Andrew Muzi www.yellowjersey.org/ Open every day since 1 April, 1971 |
#8
|
|||
|
|||
Beyond the Autobahn: Germany's New Bike Highways
On 26/02/2016 8:43 AM, sms wrote:
On 2/25/2016 11:33 PM, James wrote: Grade separation. Yes, this is how it's done in the U.S. We have many such grade separated MUPs in my area, and if we could just ban pedestrians, scooters, skateboarders, roller-bladers, etc., they'd be a lot faster. Actually they're already pretty good during weekday commute times, but on weekends they get those other uses in large quantities. They've spent a lot of money doing grade separation, and they do it gradually, starting off with traffic lights then building overpasses. Having them wide enough to allow "passing lanes" helps with that. But generally you're right, they're not wide enough here so they get crowded here with the roller bladers etc. and slower cyclists. There's a nice path that I can use on my commute but it's too crowded except for my early morning ride in. On the way home I take the less scenic traffic jam infested roads. |
#9
|
|||
|
|||
Beyond the Autobahn: Germany's New Bike Highways
On 26/02/2016 8:54 AM, AMuzi wrote:
On 2/26/2016 1:33 AM, James wrote: On 26/02/16 15:04, Frank Krygowski wrote: On 2/25/2016 9:59 PM, Sir Ridesalot wrote: With the recent opening of a "bike highway," Germany is taking the lead in Europe by starting to build a network of wide, dedicated bicycle thoroughfares designed to lure increasing numbers of commuters out of their cars and onto two wheels. Cycling highways are fundamentally different from usual cycling lanes. Highways are around 4 to 5 meters wide -- twice the width of many bike paths -- so faster cyclists can overtake slower ones in both directions. High-quality asphalt is often used to enable bicyclists to travel faster. These highways are designed with few or no intersections with major roads, and as few traffic lights as possible -- all intended to enable cyclists to travel effortlessly within or among cities and suburbs. Like autobahns, the biking highways are designed to allow travelers to cover large distances without leaving the network. http://www.resilience.org/stories/20...bike-highways# I've read about this before, but I've not seen any details on how they will arrange for "few or no intersections with major roads" while still being useful for transportation. It seems there would be relatively few locations that could be practically served while meeting that criterion. Grade separation. Gee what could that cost? http://www.channel3000.com/news/Cons...pring/37691412 They solve that problem by making it so expensive to begin with that adding the bike infrastructure is insignificant. The Turcot Exchange has been bid out at 3 billion. Most estimates think it will come in at 5. What's a couple million for a bike path? The problem here is there are too many people living in the burbs and outer cities and working in Montreal. There are only 2 major highways getting into the city so they need to do something. Trying to get people on bikes is one part of it. |
#10
|
|||
|
|||
Beyond the Autobahn: Germany's New Bike Highways
On 2/26/2016 2:33 AM, James wrote:
On 26/02/16 15:04, Frank Krygowski wrote: On 2/25/2016 9:59 PM, Sir Ridesalot wrote: With the recent opening of a "bike highway," Germany is taking the lead in Europe by starting to build a network of wide, dedicated bicycle thoroughfares designed to lure increasing numbers of commuters out of their cars and onto two wheels. Cycling highways are fundamentally different from usual cycling lanes. Highways are around 4 to 5 meters wide -- twice the width of many bike paths -- so faster cyclists can overtake slower ones in both directions. High-quality asphalt is often used to enable bicyclists to travel faster. These highways are designed with few or no intersections with major roads, and as few traffic lights as possible -- all intended to enable cyclists to travel effortlessly within or among cities and suburbs. Like autobahns, the biking highways are designed to allow travelers to cover large distances without leaving the network. http://www.resilience.org/stories/20...bike-highways# I've read about this before, but I've not seen any details on how they will arrange for "few or no intersections with major roads" while still being useful for transportation. It seems there would be relatively few locations that could be practically served while meeting that criterion. Grade separation. That would be their plan, I'm sure, but it's hugely expensive. I've been over four (IIRC) modern bike path bridges within 60 miles of my home. (One was since removed, BTW.) They're showpieces, but one can't afford showpieces very often. And if the project can't afford them very often, it seems the routes must avoid most busy roads. That makes the routes sound less useful. Even for those willing to spend huge sums of public money, it seems each bridge or underpass would divert money that could be used instead to build an additional ten to fifteen miles of perhaps lateral paths. BTW, Stevenage in Britain has grade separations for its extensive bikeway system. But that system has been a failure. See http://evworld.com/urban.cfm?newsid=17 One of the problems, supposedly, is that people feel insecure going through the underpasses, especially at night. But a bigger problem is that Stevenage did nothing to actively discourage car use. By contrast, Dutch cities tend to make car parking rare and super-expensive, and they close direct routes to cars so car trips take longer than bike trips, etc. etc. It seems that as long as it's easier to get into a car and turn the key, almost everyone will prefer to drive. -- - Frank Krygowski |
Thread Tools | |
Display Modes | |
|
|
Similar Threads | ||||
Thread | Thread Starter | Forum | Replies | Last Post |
Germany gives green light to bicycle highways | Sir Ridesalot | Techniques | 74 | January 9th 16 09:23 PM |
looks like bike paths can be more dangerous than highways | Duane Hebert[_4_] | Techniques | 3 | January 20th 11 02:54 AM |
Rubber highways | Richard | UK | 27 | June 2nd 06 01:58 PM |
Bike trip from Göttingen, Germany to Lyons, France | Richard | Rides | 1 | September 14th 05 03:42 PM |
Shipping bike US -> Germany... Options? | JustPed'lin | Racing | 3 | January 17th 05 04:58 AM |