Dutch move into fast lane with 'bicycle highways'

Bicycle highways are broad cycling paths without intersections which allow cyclists to quickly cover long distances. The ministry plans to double the number of such highways in the Netherlands over the cabinet period.

At present, the Netherlands has five bicycle highways, including two connecting Amsterdam with Utrecht and Breda with Etten-Leur. There are currently plans for a bicycle highway connecting The Hague with Leiden and Arnhem with Nijmegen.

Municipalities and provinces are invited to submit plans to the ministry for more bicycle highways in their region.

In addition to bicycle highways, the government has planned other measures to increase cycle use.

By 2013, the ministry hopes 100,000 additional bicycle parking places will be added around train, tram and bus stations. At least 20 municipalities will co-operate with the ministry in removing discarded bicycles from bicycle stalls, which will free up existing spaces.

http://www.expatica.com/nl/news/dutch-news/Dutch-move-into-the-fast-lane-with-_bicycle-highways__55874.html

You'll get there faster on a bicycle then a car.

It's a prefect city for cycling - the weather almost always cooperates. We have a few nice trails along the rivers, but that's it. Once you're on the streets, your life is in your hands.

Part of the move toward decreasing greenhouse gas emissions should be encouraging bicycle use.

I'm part of the LA Bicycle Coalition.

We need to get serious about bicycles.

However, cities like Boston show that even Americans can enjoy bicycle commuting:
http://www.massbike.org/bikeways/

Find rail trails in your area:
http://www.traillink.com/

Until recently, our focus here in Pinellas was recreation. As the Pinellas Trail grew, it actually started to take on some transportation function, by bicycle, foot, and electric chair/scooter. Not the most scenic of bike paths in the world, it is however fairly high in functional potential because it's a former railway.

One thing that local government doesn't seem to get: It's no big deal for cars to stop. You take your foot off the gas, put it on the brake, and then put it back on the gas. Stopping on a bicycle is a pain in the ass, especially if you are travelling a long distance. Part of the problem obviously is that the people with design and construction power aren't the ones who ride the bikes. They seem to think that bicyclists like to "rest" and have little to now comprehension of the fact that "exhaustion" comes right before the "free ride".