One of Berlin’s extended bike lanes. Source: The Guardian
In the last month or so, the world has been flipped upside down as it has been filled with uncertainty, fear and an ever-exhausting news cycle. New restrictions and laws prohibit people from doing pretty much anything except for waiting in line to enter a grocery store. As people try to cope with the COVID-19 pandemic, inspiration and hope is coming from cities around the world. People are adapting their lives and behaviours in every way, they are reconnecting with their neighbours at a distance, and creating objects to help one another through these tough times. Cities alike are also beginning to change and adapt to their new realities.
From Berlin to Bogotá, some cities are beginning to get tactical – converting space for cars and giving it back to people walking and on bicycles to keep people at a safe distance while they adopt new movement patterns. This means that more space has to be given to these modes of transportation to comply with COVID-19 rules. Overnight, municipalities have taken away what used to be a lane dedicated to vehicle traffic or for parking and put in wider, protected bike lanes and walking lanes.
In Berlin, local authorities in the Kreuzberg district took matters into their own hands, temporarily widening cycle lanes back in March. They argued that it would help residents on bikes keep the required 1.5-meter distance. Some bike lanes were widening while others were simply created by converting a lane of vehicle traffic with wide yellow markings and bollards. On Friday, April 10 the local council declared the pilot project a success and the City of Berlin has come out with a document to help other districts to do the same.
Berlin “popup“ bike lane.
On the other side of the world, New Zealand has become the first country to create an official government policy for funding this type of modular infrastructure. Cities in New Zealand had been testing tactical urbanism sporadically before the pandemic, but now the national government is rolling it out on an emergency-funded basis. This funding has allowed cities to widen sidewalks and carve out cycleways in a matter of days instead of months or years. Transport Minister Julie Anne Genter even stated: “When we move out of the shutdown, and people start to travel a little more, we can’t expect them to go back to crowded buses and trains at the same rate we need alternatives for people to get around.”
One of New Zealand’s extended bike lanes. Photo taken by: Paul Zinken
In South America, the Colombian capital of Bogotá has created 76 kilometres of temporary bike lanes overnight taking over lanes for vehicles. Another 41 kilometres are planned to be created once further evaluation of the current ones is completed creating a whopping 117 kilometres of new bicycle infrastructure. The lanes are semi-protected with large pylons or water-filled plastic barriers and the widths are adjusted depending on usage. A statement from the Mayor’s office said: “The bicycle, being an individual means of transport, represents one of the most hygienic alternatives for the prevention of the virus, especially in this first preventive stage in which it is recommended to avoid close contact and crowds.” Adding to that statement he continued: “... Bogotá is facing a triple threat of poor air quality, seasonal respiratory illnesses and now the coronavirus the bicycle can help prevent the spread of COVID-19 and improve air quality.”
Temporary bike lane in Bogotá. Photo taken by: Gabriel L. Guerrero
All of these tactical solutions for cycling and walking can have a huge impact on the future of infrastructure in our cities. In the short term, these strategies will allow people to keep a safe distance from one another, while in the long term these pop-ups act as great pilot projects helping residents and politicians visualize the need and the effectiveness of best practice bicycle design and infrastructure to the quality of life in their cities.