Comments on The Urban Country: Leaders Should Learn from Copenhagen

Interesting Mikael. Sounds like things had to com...

2009-12-22T23:24:02.380-05:00

Interesting Mikael.

Sounds like things had to come together at both ends to make this happen.

I could only see this type of movement evolving very gradually in a city like Toronto, and probably only in densely populated areas. The car just seems too embedded in the design and culture of our suburbs and smaller towns.

Mark, the catalyst in Copenhagen was a grassroots ...

2009-12-22T16:02:08.696-05:00

Mark, the catalyst in Copenhagen was a grassroots movement among regular citizens in the 1970's who demanded safer facilities for bicycles. Photo of a protest on City Hall Square

The city tried to accomodate them but it took visionary political decision-making to start the ball rolling towards the 'what if we did it big time' development.

Pedestrian streets are nothing new. In this Danish newspaper article from 1913 one of Denmark's most famous writers, in an article, laments the fact that traffic is mad in the city centre and refers to vehicle-free streets in Seville and China.

While Gronigen is brilliant, as are many small cities around Europe, a city like Toronto, like all other large cities, look to similar sized metropolises for inspiration.

Nice to see the mayor out cycling in Copenhagen.

James, I have heard just the same about Groningen ...

2009-12-22T02:19:42.357-05:00

James, I have heard just the same about Groningen and other Dutch cities. Traders thought it would be bad, but the city has thrived afterwards.

The first pedestrianized zone in the world was in Rotterdam, the Lijnbaan which opened (but not for cars) in 1953. I expect that this was especially controversial due to being first. However, somehow the political will was found, and it has been such a success that it has been followed by similar schemes in all Dutch cities.

Mark, I'm guessing it took a lot of political will...

2009-12-21T08:42:54.241-05:00

Mark, I'm guessing it took a lot of political will from some influential leaders to make change happen. Jan Gehl mentions in the video that a lot of businesses said it wouldn't work and they would lose business. In Toronto, that would be enough to halt political will.

I'll ask Mikael Colville-Andersen to comment on this as well.

Thanks for the clarification David - I updated the...

2009-12-21T08:26:05.958-05:00

Thanks for the clarification David - I updated the article to clarify this. I agree that 60% of all trips is far more impressive than 60% of commuting trips.

I couldn't find any numbers in Toronto, but it would in all likelihood not be enviable.

Another survey in Toronto states the number of cycling commuters in the city is 8% of the total population of the city (http://www.toronto.ca/cycling/reports/pdf/decimareport.pdf). But either way the number is nowhere near Groningen, or the Netherlands or even Copenhagen.

This video, albeit, from the perspective of an urb...

2009-12-21T07:54:19.887-05:00

This video, albeit, from the perspective of an urban planner, strongly implies 'if you build it they will come'

I'm curious if the Copenhagen 'team' demanded cycling/pedestrian infrastructure... or, was it a couple of influential people pulling the strings.

James, a very good report, but I must correct you ...

2009-12-21T05:43:19.018-05:00

James, a very good report, but I must correct you on one part of it. Groningen has not just 60% of commuting trips by bike, but nearly 60% of _all_ trips.

It's actually relatively easy to get commuters to cycle. Commuters are mostly confident able-bodied young adults riding on their own.

It's more difficult to get small children riding on their own bikes, trips to school (and trips from school too), pensioners, disabled people, people carrying shopping to ride bikes, but that is what Groningen has achieved. What the Netherlands as a whole has achieved, actually.

Oh, and The Randstad area pretty much defines urban sprawl, yet for the entire area the cycling rate is huge.