Below you can find some of the best practices and examples that Dutch Cycling has to offer. With this selection of both Dutch and international case studies, we want to inspire and provide you with insights, background and lessons learnt from well-known and perhaps less well-known examples. We hope that these case studies will help you in taking first or further steps in implementing locally adapted solutions based on Dutch Cycling.
Portland is often referred to as the cycling capital of the United States, and for good reason! They have long invested in bicycle infrastructure which has created a strong cycling culture in the Pacific Northwest city. In 2020, Portland implemented Dutch count-down timers and have been received with success.
Before the 1990s, in the communist era, the bicycle was the favored means of transport in Tirana due to a ban on car ownership. A recent increase in car usage has created a unique challenge to redevelop cycling as a viable alternative.
Situated in the eastern suburbs of Paris, Montreuil is home to 110,000 residents. Its density of 12,000 people per square kilometer makes it the fourth most populous suburb in Paris. In 2019, the Dutch Cycling Embassy and Dutch experts travelled to Montreuil for a ThinkBike Workshop, focusing on hardware improvements.
Vienna has a rich cultural history, a UNESCO heritage listed historic center and a big cycling culture. To help facilitate this, the city wanted to launch an innovative infrastructure project that would make the bicycle the primary mode between the Central Train Station and the city center.
Transforming underused spaces can change a city. Miami's Underline project is turning land under the Metrorail into a vibrant, 10-mile bike and pedestrian trail, and 120-acre park and gallery. It prioritises safety with features such as well-lit paths, protected bike lanes, and crosswalks designed for non-motorised users.
Paris has introduced a state-of-the-art bicycle parking facility at Gare du Nord, accommodating up to 1,200 bicycles. With direct access from the cycling network, integrated wayfinding with real-time indication of available spaces and a personal welcome at the entrance, it draws inspiration from facilities at Amsterdam and Utrecht Central station.
The cities of Arnhem and Nijmegen (both approximately 180.000 inhabitants) are about 18 kilometres apart and growing towards each other. This creates a large pressure on the public space and infrastructure in the area. To give commuters and other travellers an alternative to travel between the two cities, a cycling highway was proposed.
With more than 65.000 students studying in Utrecht, proper infrastructure to move around between the university, student housing and public transport hubs is crucial. The municipality of Utrecht decided that the existing infrastructure had to become more attractive, safer and faster
The Sarphatistraat in Amsterdam proved to be a popular route for cyclists. However, the space on this route did not allow for the current large groups of cyclists, nor allow for growth. There was no space to create separate bicycle infrastructure or widen the existing (narrow) bike lanes.
In cycling cities like Amsterdam, there is a need for more road space for cyclists. Especially at intersections, where cyclists have to wait for a red traffic light, it can become very crowded. However, two measures can be combined to create more capacity and flow at a junction without redesigning it completely.