From the Netherlands to America: Translating the World’s Best Bikeway Designs
8:33 AM PST on March 8, 2012
The Netherlands is widely recognized for having the highest cycling rates in the world. What’s not so well known is that the Dutch don’t bike so much because cycling is in their DNA. They do it because after the country started down the path toward car dependence, they made a conscious decision to change course. After many decades of deliberate policy to invest in cycling as a mode of transportation, the Netherlands has the most advanced bike infrastructure you’ll ever see.
Recenty Streetfilms joined a group of city leaders from Chicago, Washington, DC and Miami on a study tour of the Netherlands, through the Bikes Belong Foundation’s Bicycling Design Best Practices Program. The program shows American transportation professionals and policy makers real life examples of what it looks like to invest in cost-effective bicycle facilities. This video takes you on a tour of the incredibly well thought out street designs in the Netherlands. You’ll see the infrastructure, hear from the experts on the ground, and watch the tour participants react and imagine how they might implement similar designs in American cities
More from Streetsblog Los Angeles
Friday’s Headlines
Is Virgil/Hollywood/Sunset the worst intersection in L.A.? A very unscientific and contentious bracket run by Americana At Brand Memes says yes.
April 3, 2026
Pasadena Moves Closer to Adopting 710 Stub Vision Plan
City Council shared concepts for rebuilding the community razed in the 1970s, and seemed keen on making restitution to the victims of freeway displacement.
April 2, 2026
Thursday’s Headlines
N. Spring Street, Sankofa Park, speed cameras, SM Airport site, Culver City, car-nage, and more
April 2, 2026
New Bike Lanes and Bus Lanes Underway in Culver City and Santa Monica
New protected bike lanes under construction on Colorado and Broadway in Santa Monica, and on Washington and Adams in Culver City, which is also adding shared bus-bike lanes on Washington
April 1, 2026
Wednesday’s Headlines
Gas prices, ICE, Santa Monica, Long Beach, DUI, car-nage, and more
April 1, 2026
Comments Are Temporarily Disabled
Streetsblog is in the process of migrating our commenting system. During this transition, commenting is temporarily unavailable.
Once the migration is complete, you will be able to log back in and will have full access to your comment history. We appreciate your patience and look forward to having you back in the conversation soon.