Like Urban Research on Facebook

Tuesday, November 22, 2011

sustainable transport

Paris bike sharing
Rio de Janeiro downtown revival
New York congestion pricing

 by Institute for Transportation and Development Policy


On the morning after Bastille Day 2007, Paris awoke to thousands of new gleaming, pearl grey bicycles stationed at former parking spaces all over the city. Within hours of the system’s opening, the streets were filled with “freedom bicycles.” Vélib, the new bicycle-based mass transit system, proved that the revolution will be non-motorized. By the 18th day, Vélib had logged one million rides. The ubiquitous bikes are now an integral part of the city’s identity, a symbol of Mayor Bertrand Delanoë and Deputy-Mayor for Transportation Denis Baupin’s multifaceted efforts to address traffic congestion, reduce air and sound pollution, and revitalize the city’s public space.
The Vélib revolution began with doubling the amount of cycleways in the City, making a fairly coherent and continuous network. In early 2001, bicycling represented about one percent of the 10.6 million trips made daily. Between 2001 and 2006, bicycle mode share increased by 48 percent while keeping the number of crashes and injuries stable. Vélib is expected to double or triple the number of daily bicycle trips and to accelerate the rate of independent bicycling. A few months ahead of the municipal elections, Vélib is indeed “a success beyond our expectations” said Pascal Cherki, Deputy Mayor for Sports.


Bike sharing system in Paris, photo by rekha6


more about bike sharing and sustaniable transportation:

World’s largest bike-share system in China dwarfs popular U.S. program

City of Boston Announces Its BIXI Bike Share Program Is a Go

Urban Bike Sharing System Coming to London!

Can Beijing regain its status as the world’s “bicy... 

Book Review: Waiting on a Train

No comments:

Post a Comment