Bicycle Highways in Amsterdam

What is a bicycle highway? The big difference between a bicycle highway and a bike lane in Copenhagen is that highways are maintained and prioritised just like normal roads are.This means the bike paths are as straight as possible, making them faster. Normal bike lanes usually meander where there is space available for them, which may prove cumbersome to cyclists. The paths are also broader and during winter, snow will be removed from them, as with regular roads. Everyone said there have to be better bike lanes, better lighting next to the bike paths, it has to go fast and the snow must be removed quickly; this is what the Danes are trying to address, making some long bicycle highways where you can ride safely in good lightning and where the necessary equipment is close to you. Comfort has also been thought through, with air pumps placed every 1.5 kilometres. And when you get closer to the city centre, traffic lights have been coordinated in “green waves” so that cyclists who keep a speed of 20 kilometres per hour will only meet green lights.Velo Mondial adds that these bicycle highways resemble very much standard bicycle paths in The Netherlands. Read on in EurActive.