My takeaways from Building the Cycling City: The Dutch Blueprint for Vitality, by Chris and Melissa Bruntlett
Tom Johnson
Idratherbewriting.com
Nov 5, 2023
1. Embrace e-bikes to replace more car trips and attract new demographics to cycling
2. Integrate bicycling and public transit to enable convenient multimodal journeys
3. Design infrastructure around complete trips, not isolated modes
4. Use social media for activism, storytelling, and political influence to drive cycling adoption
5. Incorporate cargo bikes for efficient urban freight and delivery
6. Prototype cycling infrastructure with temporary materials to demonstrate benefits, and iterate
7. Customize cycling plans based on a city's unique context and constraints
8. Understand that change is hard-fought and requires advocacy through grassroots campaigns and political engagement
9. Collect data on usage, safety, and business impact to make the case for cycling infrastructure
10. Promote urban vitality by diversifying transportation outside of cars
11. Use signature architecture and art to proclaim a vision for a cycling city — inspire people
12. Emphasize practical bike designs optimized for urban mobility over recreation or sport
End result: Cycling becomes “remarkably unremarkable”
Questions and feedback