Transportation in Copenhagen

Do you have bike lanes in your city? Can you ride a bike safely in your neighbourhood? Have you ever seen traffic lights for bikes? If you want to see them, you should visit Copenhagen. The city is famous for its bikes. Like many Nordic countries, Denmark, especially its capital, Copenhagen, has one of the best public transport systems with its metros, trains and buses. Besides, the city has its unique way of transport – cycling. You can see traffic lights for bike riders all around the city because bikes are widely used, which makes it a very environmentally-friendly city. It is stated that 45% of the citizens in the city use bikes every day. In ten years, the number will increase. People use bikes to go to work or school. Bicycle paths are often separated from the main traffic lanes and have their own signal systems. Copenhagen’s bike culture affects many cities around the world. People started to use the word ‘Copenhagenisation’ for the cities which are starting to make bike lanes like Copenhagen. The city was also selected as the first official bike city by the International Cyclists’ Union. It is clear that the city has become a role model for ‘active’ living. Cycling is not only keeping the environment clean but also keeping people healthy. It is a good exercise for anyone who is on the way to school or work. Cities which are dealing with air pollution and traffic jams are trying to find a way to solve these problems. New York is a great example of this. In 2007 Copenhagen-based Danish urban design consultant Jan Gehl was hired by the New York City Department of Transportation to design New York City streets to improve life for pedestrians and cyclists.