Pop Up Bike Lanes Installed During COVID Increased Cycling Use and Improved Air Quality

Image: Uwe, Adobe Stock

In a recent case study, researchers at the Institute for Advanced Sustainability Studies in Potsdam, Germany found that bike lane use increased by 73 percent when a pop up bike lane was built in Berlin during the COVID-19 lockdowns in 2020. They argue that this increase in infrastructure and use might help build sustainable infrastructure more quickly, stating “Mobility behavior changes due to the COVID-19 pandemic have opened a window of opportunity for an accelerated transition towards sustainable mobility.”

The report also noted that during pandemic lockdowns, many European cities built pop up bike lanes, with more than 2,000 km of new bike lanes being built by July 2020 and that during this time scientists measured substantial decreases in nitrogen oxide, limited decreases in particulate matter and some increases in ozone.

Not all citizens appreciated the pop-up bike lanes, some surveyed, namely car-drivers and others who criticized the project commenting on the reduction in space for cars, delivery vehicles, ambulances and vehicles for nursing services.

Experts continuously find that better and safer bike infrastructure leads to more cycling. More cycling leads to fewer cars, which leads to reduced greenhouse gas emissions. If the researchers hypothesis is true — that increased infrastructure during the pandemic can lead to quicker adoption for long term sustainable solutions, it may help cities reach their net zero goals faster.