Dutch cycling infrastructure

Traffic planning officials from various regions in the USA attended a study tour of bicycling design best practices in the Netherlands.

During their visit, they travelled to seven cities (Utrecht, Zwolle, Groningen, Nijmegen, Tilburg, Rotterdam, and Amsterdam) to meet with local planners, engineers, and elected officials about how the Dutch make their country such an inviting place for bicyclists.

In a country where nearly everyone rides a bike, they were not surprised that, even though most bicyclists didn’t wear helmets, biking was safe.

A major component in the Netherlands’ effort to encourage bicycling is its emphasis on building bicycle infrastructure, which the Dutch treat as an equal mode of transportation. In low-speed environments, bikes and cars share the road. However, when speeds differ substantially, or bicycle volume is very high, physically separated, red-tinted bike paths are installed. At controlled intersections, cyclists usually have their own traffic signals, some of which have advance bike loop detectors, ensuring that cyclists receive a green light when they reach the intersection.


Source video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pDlmn-Ipdns&t=11s / Bicycle Dutch