If you get a chance, you must check out BikePortland’s article on a recent panel discussion by European planners who visited the US and consulted on best practices for increasing bicycle ridership, and creating bike infrastructure. The key to a successful program is exactly what we’ve stated from the outset at BFOC…perception of safety.

From Hans Voerknecht (The International Coordinator for Fietsberaad)

““If they feel safe they will cycle. The solution chosen in nearly all U.S. cities is that you have cycle lanes next to parked cars and next to traffic and I think that the people who might want to cycle but don’t do it yet… they would think it’s too close to this fast-moving traffic.”

Also, it was interesting to learn that Copenhagen installed their first Cycle Track (dedicated bicycle lane) in 1905! So for over 100 years, they’ve been able to learn what does and does not work in attracting people to bicycling.