Photo: Dutch Cycling Embassy
Amsterdam is the city with more bikes than residents. The Netherlands’ capital is one of the largest financial centers in Europe, a huge tourist attraction and, as evidenced by the sheer number of two-wheelers around, a cyclist’s paradise.
You can’t encourage people to lead healthier and more sustainable lives, not offer them the proper support for it, and then be upset when they don’t do it. There’s a reason why Amsterdam is the city with more bikes than residents, and it has a lot to do with that, which results in a well-developed cycling infrastructure.
This month, Amsterdam has opened its largest bike parking facility, and one of the most striking in the entire world. Because it’s located underwater and quite artsy.
The Stationsplein bike garage was opened to the public on January 26, and is hailed as the best example of how authorities can work to achieve a higher rate of bicycles, as opposed to personal cars, on city streets: by offering the proper infrastructure to make bike-use easier and more convenient. The new facility is actually one of two new projects located near the Amsterdam Central Station, both underground.
They’re both underwater, to be more exact, with the Stationsplein garage built under the Open Havenfront. This one has a 7,000 bike capacity, while the second facility, which will be inaugurated in February this year, will offer storage for another 4,000 bicycles. That’s 11,000 bicycles that will find a new parking spot in the new sheds, as opposed to crowding city streets. As a side note, Amsterdam also has a problem with bikes littering city streets, one that it’s been struggling to solve.
Stationsplein has direct connections to public transport and a special corner that holds air pumps and an assortment of tools, which should come in handy to any cyclist experiencing issues with their ride.
Based on a design by Wurck, the Stationsplein was 12 years in the works, including four for the actual construction stage, for a total cost of €12 million (approximately $13 million at the current exchange rate). The amount is very high, but the positive impact is already noticeable, in that the area above ground, around Central Station, has already been cleared of abandoned bikes and bike parking. This means it can be used to build more tracks for the pedestrians or cycling paths.
Authorities are already talking about the possibility of building more such parking facilities, despite the challenges of these two projects, mostly due to their location.
The Stationsplein features VelopA two-tiered racks and monitoring tech by LumiGuide, and a very clean design. Though underwater, those apparent porthole windows are not windows, but works of art made to give the impression of underwater windows. Other artworks are displayed on the walls, and help give the place a very relaxing and quite fancy vibe.
This month, Amsterdam has opened its largest bike parking facility, and one of the most striking in the entire world. Because it’s located underwater and quite artsy.
The Stationsplein bike garage was opened to the public on January 26, and is hailed as the best example of how authorities can work to achieve a higher rate of bicycles, as opposed to personal cars, on city streets: by offering the proper infrastructure to make bike-use easier and more convenient. The new facility is actually one of two new projects located near the Amsterdam Central Station, both underground.
They’re both underwater, to be more exact, with the Stationsplein garage built under the Open Havenfront. This one has a 7,000 bike capacity, while the second facility, which will be inaugurated in February this year, will offer storage for another 4,000 bicycles. That’s 11,000 bicycles that will find a new parking spot in the new sheds, as opposed to crowding city streets. As a side note, Amsterdam also has a problem with bikes littering city streets, one that it’s been struggling to solve.
Stationsplein has direct connections to public transport and a special corner that holds air pumps and an assortment of tools, which should come in handy to any cyclist experiencing issues with their ride.
Based on a design by Wurck, the Stationsplein was 12 years in the works, including four for the actual construction stage, for a total cost of €12 million (approximately $13 million at the current exchange rate). The amount is very high, but the positive impact is already noticeable, in that the area above ground, around Central Station, has already been cleared of abandoned bikes and bike parking. This means it can be used to build more tracks for the pedestrians or cycling paths.
Authorities are already talking about the possibility of building more such parking facilities, despite the challenges of these two projects, mostly due to their location.
The Stationsplein features VelopA two-tiered racks and monitoring tech by LumiGuide, and a very clean design. Though underwater, those apparent porthole windows are not windows, but works of art made to give the impression of underwater windows. Other artworks are displayed on the walls, and help give the place a very relaxing and quite fancy vibe.
Google News