COVID-19 and mobility in cities – Temporary expansion of cycle path networks

The role of the bicycle in responding to the challenges posed by COVID-19

The health crisis caused by COVID-19 is forcing public authorities worldwide to make drastic changes in mobility in cities.

The new social distancing criteria to reduce the risk of contagion forces the search for options so that those who need to travel daily, can do so safely and economically. What is clear is that the alternative should not and cannot be the massive use of the private cars for several reasons: economic, logistical and environmental. Given this situation, the use of the bicycle appears as one of the most logical and sensible options.

In addition, investment in the bicycle is fully consistent with the movement that has been taking place in the last two decades in cities around the world towards more sustainable urban mobility. Within this new mobility, the use of bicycles has grown exponentially and, with it, the development of segregated bike lanes networks that allow the safe use of this ecological means of transport.

One of the first measures taken by the governments of many large cities in the world was the accelerated construction of temporary cycle paths.

Provisional cycle paths in response to a health emergency
The construction of temporary cycle paths is one of the first measures adopted by many cities, both in urban and interurban spaces, so that citizens who need to travel with their bikes, can do so safely, not only because of COVID- 19 , but also by road traffic.

In a first phase and to give a quick response to the emergency, many cities resorted to the use of road paint or luminous separating elements, such as plastic cones, to create new bike lanes overnight. However, it appears that measures of social distance will last for a long time and cities have begun to rethink these temporary cycling infrastructures and take steps to make them totally safe for longer.

For this reason, Biciway offers the Zicla family of cycle path segregators, in its Zebra® range for cities, with the new REVERSIBLE ANCHORAGE SYSTEM, which allows for the fast and economical construction of provisional cycle paths.

After the sanitary emergency, these separators can be removed, readjusted or reused on permanent cycle paths.

Biciway is able to create a temporary cycle path very quickly. In 8 hours we built 569 meters, using the ZICLA ZEBRA, ZEBRA ZERO and ZIPPER systems for this. These ecological systems, made of plastic recycled from waste, are the easiest way to respond to a need to redirect traffic from car to bicycle.