Build Bike Lanes and They Will Ride

By Erin Weaver

The city of Sydney, Australia, has increased bike ridership by 82% in just two years as part of its Sustainable Sydney 2030 plans. Two years ago, the city had bicycling rates below the national average, with only 0.8% of work trips made by bike; Sydney 2030 calls for 10% of trips to be by bike in 2030, and this year that number reached 1.4%.

Research showed residents’ likelihood of commuting by bike increased markedly based on the percentage of the commute possible in a dedicated bike lane, so the city has set out to provide 125 miles of bike lanes by 2030, with 34 miles of them separated from traffic. The first six miles of separate lanes, the “backbone” of the network, have been completed; by 2030 the network will include more than 160 Sydney suburbs. Along with separate lanes, the city has offered safety courses, biking maps, and free bike bells. Other infrastructure changes have included decreased speed limits and junction redesigns, leading to decreased accidents among all forms of transportation.