Rethinking mobility for bicycles in future cities
Future Cities Insight #6 Rethinking mobility for bicycles in future cities
As our cities continue growing inwards, the demand for space increases and the need for efficient and sustainable transport surges. How can we still plan for attractive public spaces and a vibrant city life when more and more city functions are competing for space? New innovations for cyclists are part of the solution for creating space and pushing the city towards sustainability.
As a solution for this demand, together with the City of Malmö AFRY is developing the future bicycle streets. The main goal is to promote bicycling in the city, create attractive urban spaces and shift towards a more sustainable city. Bicycle streets are streets within the city where bicycle traffic is prioritized and the pace of the street is set by bicycles.
Planning for the use of bicycles is vital for future cities in order to create space efficient transport, more accessible and sustainable urban spaces and transport links and to support a climate neutral and healthy city landscape. At the same time bicycles help us achieve a more including and socially sustainable cityscape where we are able to meet and interact.
For bicycle streets to be successful, it is for example very important that the design and layout of the street is easily interpreted for all users of the public space. Mixing cars and bicycles attribute specific challenges in order to create a safe and secure environment for everybody.
AFRY is in close partnership with the City of Malmö, studying what the future bicycle streets might look like and explore where we might be able to successfully implement bicycle streets; for increased mobility and traffic safety. Once the foundations are in place, we can start adapting the future city streets for bicycles and make more of what the city should be about – city life.
