Smart Travel
Today, in America, with virtually all public institutions, of buyers in shops along that now-famous thoroughfare
from universities to municipalities, preparing “shovel- and lead to the closing of other downtown streets, all
ready” plans for federal stimulus dollars, the most- thriving commercial zones today.
needed and helpful American “green” projects – bicycle Two days on a bicycle in London’s congestion charge
and pedestrian transportation – are making few of the zone in 2006, furthermore, failed to locate a single shut-
wish-lists, although President Barack Obama is asking tered building. Businessmen, fearful of lost income, had
for sustainable infrastructure development and out- originally fought the now US$12 fee (originally US$7)
going President George W Bush, a bicyclist himself, was for all cars entering the city center but now are gener-
the first to admit that America is addicted to oil. ally advocates because they’ve discovered that their
trucks can complete deliveries instead of being stuck in
Danes ahead of the pack traffic.
Yet again, America appears to be missing the opportu-
nity to change behavior and address a half dozen huge Train not in vain
issues – from health concerns and habitat loss to pollu- In Perth, the downtown commuter train station has
tion, foreign policy issues, congestion and global warm- become a booming shopping mall and the area opened
ing – because cities, counties and states, and indeed, an over-budget and behind-schedule “Southern
Uncle Sam, fear we self-involved voters. Suburbs Railway” in December 2007 with 90 per cent
“Everywhere we go,” says Danish architect Lars approval ratings and 67,000 first-day riders.
Gemzøe, who with partner Jan Gehl, are The bike-share program in Barce-
leaders in the worldwide movement
“Today in America
lona, Spain, expected 20,000 users in
into providing more public space for
bicycle and
the first year but within 90 days had
walking and biking and less for driving, 120,000 people signed up and, two
“we hear that ‘Too much money will be
pedestrian
years later, store-owners are working
lost if people can’t drive to the city
transportation are
to turn nearby parking into bike-share
center.’ We hear that ‘Our climate is too stations for the free two-wheel, single-
hot. Or too cold. Or too rainy.’ ‘Our cul-
making few of the
speed bikes.
ture is too different and our people are
stimulus wishlists”
“Even in Copenhagen, sometimes
too in love with their cars.’” the shopkeepers still say, ‘we’ll never
But the Gehl Architect’s experience worldwide indi- have a customer again,’“ staffers at the Danish Bicycling
cates that if a region just begins the small and relatively Federation laugh. “But the data shows the exact oppo-
inexpensive bicycle and pedestrian projects, the tyr- site and they soon become very, very happy.”
anny of the too’s – those perceived geographic, cultural On three primary in-bound streets today, Copenha-
and social barriers -- fade and citizens become activists gen is experimenting with totally removing cars, dou-
for transportation change because they find themselves bling the size of bike lanes, synchronizing lights at
happier and healthier and, surprisingly, richer. bicycle speed – 20 km per hour – and fighting two-wheel
“The big one is always that ‘if you take the cars out, the congestion with bicycle turn lanes and extra space for
shops will die.’ In every culture, there’s always this worry “cargo” three-wheelers. The city seeks to have 50 per
and it’s usually – and perhaps always – wrong,” Gemzøe cent of commuters arriving on bicycles by the year 2015
says. First running the economic numbers in Copenha- in order to reap additional greenhouse emission and
gen, their home city, Gehl Architects discovered that health benefits. However, as travel writer Bill Byrson so
closing Stroget Street to cars in 1962 doubled the number succintly puts it, Cophenhagers are already so healthy
Melbourne
Copenhagen
52 Vol 4 No 1 Thinking Highways www.thinkinghighways.com
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