Copenhagen's Insane Bicycle Infrastructure (Unstructured)

The bicycle infrastructure in Copenhagen is so amazing, I got to the point where I was so used to always feeling safe, knowing I can be on any roadway, knowing I have the right of way over cars, and always having a spot to park my bike. It will for sure be hard going back to biking in Eugene after this trip.

There was an absurd amount of bicycle parking everywhere we went in Copenhagen, and often it was filled to the max. However, it is socially acceptable to park a bike in most places, as long as it is not obstructing anyone’s way, so a filled-up bike rack never ended up being a big problem.

Another aspect related to bike parking that I absolutely loved about Copenhagen was the ability to lock my bike with just a lock through the back tire, to prevent the wheel from turning, with no need to lock the bike onto a rack or post, with no fear of it being stolen. Imagine a life like that… in Copenhagen, they’re living it.

In terms of bikeway infrastructure, most of the bike lanes were either separated by levels, with the road being the lowest, the bike lane an inch or so above it, and the sidewalk an inch or so above that. This created a sort of “hierarchy system” as I see it, showing that pedestrians had the greatest right of way, followed by bikes and then cars. When the bikeway was not its own curbed path, it is often painted blue or marked off in some way, similar to what is seen above.

The bridge above, shown during the day and the night, is a cycle-only bridge dedicated to crossing the river from one heavily trafficked area to another, safely, without needing to cross or run into pedestrians or traffic. (It’s so gorgeous, I love it!)

Bike lights are placed along major roadways where cycle tracks must cross traffic. These lights blink from red to yellow, and then to green, so cyclists have a warning time to push off and start pedaling before the green light. In Denmark, you cannot turn right on a red light, which created a great sense of safety while biking, knowing that cars will not turn without looking for you.

And bikes are allowed on almost every street, so if there are no bike paths or lights, cars are still aware and ready for cyclists to be there. Another thing I mentioned in a previous blog was the small asphalt ramps placed along the cycle paths. Initially, I questioned the policy needed to create simple infrastructure in the US, but now I just want to point out the simplicity of these ramps, which create connections between the bike lane and where cyclists need to go, often stores and residential areas.

Copenhagen has added infrastructure specifically for bikes, to make moving around easier. Slanted trash cans are the first piece of infrastructure I want to highlight. Somewhat unnecessary in my opinion, but still very cool, allowing cyclists to throw away their trash while they can still bike, preventing littering, and limiting stops taken by cyclists.

Ramps to easily take bikes down and upstairs are another piece of impressive infrastructure. This allows cyclists to easily transport their bikes up and down without picking them up.

Lastly, the piece I find the most interesting is the supercycle footrests at the stopping points of several bike paths. These are simple additions that can actually do a lot. As minimal as they seem, they actually allow the two people in the front of a line up of bikes to be comfortable waiting, and therefore less likely to break the rules and move into the intersection while the light is still red if no one is coming. If the two people in front are following the rules, the group behind them is more likely to do the same, keeping the whole group patient and safe, preventing bicycle accidents.

Cycling in the United States will definitely be difficult to go back to after spending time biking in Copenhagen. Even biking in Portland, the city with the title of the best cycling in America, does not even remotely compare to the well-thought-out infrastructure and connectedness of Copenhagen's cycling.