Plans for Bicycle Highway Above London Railways
Geo Beats
2014-01-01
Views 568
With the city’s population and the number of cyclists expected to grow rapidly during the next 10 years, a well-known architect has revealed plans for a 135-mile network of bike paths high above London’s streets.
In London alone, the number of cyclists on major roads has increased by more than 170 percent in the last 10 years. With the city’s population and the number of cyclists expected to grow rapidly during the next 10 years, a well-known architect has revealed plans for a 135-mile network of bike paths high above London’s streets.
As the architect behind Saint Mary Axe and the new Wembley Stadium, Sir Norman Foster explains, “SkyCycle is a lateral approach to finding space in a congested city. By using the corridors above the suburban railways, we could create a world-class network of safe, car-free cycle routes that are ideally located for commuters.”
Taking 20 years to complete, SkyCycle would include 200 access ramps, accommodate 12,000 cyclists per hour, and save about 29 minutes per trip.
Concerns include the steepness of the ramps and the severity of winds cyclists would be exposed to up in the SkyCycle. Plus, just the first phase alone, consisting of 4 miles from Liverpool Street Station to east London, is estimated to cost more than $362 million.
What do you think about the SkyCycle project? Could it work in your city?
In London alone, the number of cyclists on major roads has increased by more than 170 percent in the last 10 years. With the city’s population and the number of cyclists expected to grow rapidly during the next 10 years, a well-known architect has revealed plans for a 135-mile network of bike paths high above London’s streets.
As the architect behind Saint Mary Axe and the new Wembley Stadium, Sir Norman Foster explains, “SkyCycle is a lateral approach to finding space in a congested city. By using the corridors above the suburban railways, we could create a world-class network of safe, car-free cycle routes that are ideally located for commuters.”
Taking 20 years to complete, SkyCycle would include 200 access ramps, accommodate 12,000 cyclists per hour, and save about 29 minutes per trip.
Concerns include the steepness of the ramps and the severity of winds cyclists would be exposed to up in the SkyCycle. Plus, just the first phase alone, consisting of 4 miles from Liverpool Street Station to east London, is estimated to cost more than $362 million.
What do you think about the SkyCycle project? Could it work in your city?
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