The Hovenring: A new level of bike infrastructure
In The Netherlands, of course. This is the Hovenring under construction:
… this was an extremely large rural roundabout (officially a ‘traffic circle’ because of the right of way arrangements) with separated cycle paths all around it (map here, before the Hovenring) …
Now why did this have to change? It had cycle paths and there were traffic lights to control the flow of traffic. But to the Dutch that is not safe enough anymore. Yes, there was separation, but at the places of crossing motorized traffic and cyclists were only separated in time and not in place.
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This elevated bike roundabout is 72 metres in diameter, with a 70-metre tall pylon. It opened on June 29, and this is how it was being used on Aug 12:
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It looks like there are more bikes on the ring than cars on the motorway.
Nice (that top photo is confusing be cause there are cars on or approaching the bike ring, which is probably under construction in that pic)
Is it for pedestrians too?
If not, there would be a severe deficiency of pedestrian infrastructure at that intersection, as I don’t see any sidewalks at the lower road level.
The question about the pedestrians is already answered on the original site: http://bicycledutch.wordpress.com/2012/08/23/spectacular-new-floating-cycle-roundabout/#comment-758
Thanks.
So it;s really a suburban “hell” without any walkable facilities, but made “trendy” by the bikes.
@Guest, you totally don’t get it.
First; If you happen to be on foot in this area of Eindhoven( why would you?) there is no problem, you can use the ring its a walkable facility.
Secondly; bikes are not at all “trendy” in the Netherlands, its the most ordinary boring, mundane mode of transport imaginable since practicly everybody has a bike here.
@ guest. Dutch suburbs don’t look anything like most suburbs in the Anglophone sphere. Developers aren’t allowed to build unless they have made sure unless facilities for cyclists and pedestrians are taken into account. Accesability to transit is also taken into account. Not just for suburbs but for business and industrial estates aswell. Suburbs from the car centric 50′and 60′s are/were even retro fitted with cycle facilities. See:http://www.aviewfromthecyclepath.com/search/label/beforeandafter
http://www.aviewfromthecyclepath.com/2012/05/may-2012-study-tour-roundup.html
http://www.aviewfromthecyclepath.com/2012/05/mistranslations-and-misunderstandings.html
http://www.aviewfromthecyclepath.com/2011/12/from-car-centric-to-people-friendly.html
Most Dutch suburbs also have their own schools and shops all within walking/biking distance.
And cycling isn’t something trendy to the Dutch. It’s part of regular life, just another form of transportation and it has been so for decades. http://www.aviewfromthecyclepath.com/2011/02/million-journeys-per-hour-by-bike.html
http://www.aviewfromthecyclepath.com/2011/10/safe-cycling-for-8-to-80-year-olds.html
http://www.aviewfromthecyclepath.com/2011/09/cycling-to-school.html
http://www.aviewfromthecyclepath.com/2011/06/lets-cycle-to-beach.html