Tag: Public Transportation

Copenhagen is a city of cyclists. Those visiting for the first time are often taken aback by the volume of bicycles on the streets and the number of bikes in the racks around various metro stops and other high traffic areas. I’ve seen statistics that suggest 40-60% of Copenhageners cycle to and from work daily.

I grew up in Houston, which is a city of solitary drivers. “If it can be done on two wheels, why not do in on four?” seems to be the attitude of Houstonians. “Even better if a 5-8 passenger vehicle can carry only a lone driver,” one might conclude from the number of cars and SUVs with a solitary person behind the wheel sitting in Houston rush hour traffic.

There are certainly plenty of other cities that exhibit cycling propensities similar to Copenhagen and many urban centers the more closely resemble Houston. Why is this? What accounts for the differing preferences for cars vs. bikes?

Allow me to get a few of the more obvious similarities and differences out of the way quickly. While both Houston and Copenhagen are coastal and relatively flat, the climate varies greatly. Copenhagen has a temperate climate, with average summer high temperatures in the high 60s and low 70s according to Wikipedia. That’s typical of Houston too . . . in February. While average winter lows obviously vary too (just below freezing in Copenhagen to mid-40s in Houston), most would say you can dress for the Copenhagen chill easier than for the Houston heat and humidity. Beyond climate, the cities exist on an entirely different geographic scale. Municipal Copenhagen is roughly 33 square miles, while Houston covers 667 square miles. Account for suburbs and the difference grows. There is, however, another key reason for the difference that mirrors one of the big differences between the broad commitment to sustainability of Denmark vs. the US. The respective governments have committed to divergent paths, in this case related to sustainable transportation.

For my entire lifetime, Houston has been investing in expansion of its freeway system to handle the large population and the propensity to drive. Sure, there have been initiatives designed to introduce alternatives, but they have been half-hearted at best. A high occupancy vehicle lane here. A new bus route there. We notice them as we sit in our SUVs twice a day during morning and evening rush hour(s).

Copenhagen, on the other hand, has made and continues to make significant investments in infrastructure to encourage more sustainable transport. We could complain about the metro expansion and the disruption it has caused around the city for several years, but it is likely to make a good mass transit system even better. Let’s get back to the bikes.

City planners in Copenhagen have taken steps for some time to nudge people out of their cars and on to their bikes. Many years ago the city introduced what amounted to free loaner bikes. This ensured that there was always a two-wheeled option available. Next? Turn the city’s parking lots in to parks and green spaces or plazas full of cafes, kiosks, and places to relax with a meal or drink. While improving the aesthetics of the city, these public spaces also made it a bigger hassle to park a car, thereby nudging folks to the bike racks. Ample bike lanes and bike traffic signals make navigating on two wheels much easier (just learn the rules of the road before you hop on a bike).

As I was walking to my favorite bakery (Andersen’s, if you must know) this morning, watching the wave of bikes build for the morning commute, I wondered . . . How many other cities could follow Copenhagen’s lead? I’m not sure that a 15 mile commute from Houston’s suburbs to the central business district in 98 degree summer heat will ever be feasible on a bike, but I suspect that there are other decisions that might at least increase willingness to consider other more sustainable alternatives than hopping in that SUV by oneself. I’m not holding my breath.