Riding the Green Wave

Episode 02 - The Green Wave for Cyclists - Top 10 Design Elements in Copenhagen's Bicycle Culture from Copenhagenize on Vimeo.

In the previous post, I featured a video on Copenhagen's policy on uniform bike lanes. This policy has been the cornerstone of the success of their biking culture. Recently, Copenhagenize.com released the second installment of this 10-part feature. This second episode talks about the Green Wave.

The Green Wave is coordinated traffic lights for cyclists. Ride 20 km/h and you won't put a foot down on your journey into the city centre in the morning and home again in the afternoon.

The Green Wave is a very interesting strategy because it rewards cyclists who maintain an average speed with a continuous straight path. This reinforces the strategy of ensuring that cycling is the fastest way to travel in Copenhagen. Increasing the convenience of the cyclists has boosted the number of bikers in their roads. This entails excellent traffic planning and coordination - both are necessary in a thriving metropolis such as Metro Manila.

Below is another look at a street with a Green Wave.

The Green Wave in Copenhagen from Copenhagenize on Vimeo.

One of the things that caught my attention is the width of the road. I'm still trying to figure out how did they put their cycling lane in a road that continues to have 2-way car traffic. I just need to figure out the dimensions of their roads, carriageways, and bike lanes. Then I'll try to compare these measurements with our own. This could be the start of a more systematic advocacy for many biking groups.

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Speaking of riding the green wave, I think I have been bitten by the Celeste bug.