Why Is There Only 1 Dedicated Bike Lane in All of Hanoi?

Why Is There Only 1 Dedicated Bike Lane in All of Hanoi?

Hanoi’s dedicated bike lane, although still in its pilot phase, has garnered attention and support from traffic experts. The lane, running along the To Lich River from Nga Tu So to Cau Giay District, has recorded 482 trips taken and 468 trips returned from public bike stations in just half a month. This positive sign indicates that people are starting to adopt cycling as a mode of transportation.

Expert Opinions

Dr. Khuong Kim Tao, former Deputy Chief of the National Traffic Safety Committee, has expressed strong support for the bike lane initiative in Hanoi. He views the implementation of this dedicated bike lane as a positive step forward and believes it has the potential to significantly improve urban mobility. Dr. Tao advocates for expanding this model beyond the current pilot phase. He suggests that, in addition to the To Lich River route, Hanoi should consider developing additional bike lanes on other suitable streets throughout the city.

This expansion could help foster a more bicycle-friendly environment and encourage greater adoption of cycling as a mode of transportation. By broadening the network of bike lanes, Hanoi could enhance connectivity, reduce traffic congestion, and contribute to a more sustainable urban transit system.

1 Dedicated Bike Lane in All of Hanoi

Dr. Tao suggested that the pilot implementation will provide valuable insights into management and traffic organization, leading to a comprehensive traffic planning proposal for bicycle transportation across the city. He noted that while not all streets are suitable for a dedicated bike lane, some could have bike-priority zones. In these cases, bike lanes would be positioned close to the road edge, with other vehicles permitted to enter only to turn into properties and required to yield to bikes.

Benefits of Dedicated Bike Lanes

In response to concerns about whether dedicating a portion of the road to bikes might waste infrastructure while other lanes remain congested, Dr. Tao argued that this approach creates “pressure” to reduce car and motorbike use. This, in turn, encourages people to develop habits of using public transportation such as buses, bikes, and electric bikes. He emphasized that having a separate lane for bikes can make cycling faster than other vehicles during traffic jams, as bikes can travel at 20 km/h compared to the 10-15 km/h of motorized vehicles.

International Experiences with Dedicated Bike Lanes

According to Dr. Phan Le Binh, many cities worldwide have implemented policies to encourage cycling to reduce emissions and address severe traffic congestion. For instance, Singapore has about 500 km of bike lanes and plans to expand this network to 800 km over the next 2-3 years. In addition to creating bike lanes, Singapore has 27,000 bike parking spaces at public transport points, with an additional 3,000 planned for subway stations by 2025.

1 Dedicated Bike Lane in All of Hanoi

In Paris, France, since 2015, the government has invested €150 million intending to become one of the world’s “bike capitals.” This plan includes doubling the length of bike lanes, creating more parking spots, and upgrading the public bike system Vélib.

The success of these international cities demonstrates that facilitating cycling not only helps reduce traffic congestion but also promotes the adoption of cycling within the community.