Bicycling boom in Germany: A revival engineered by public policy

Bicycling has increased dramatically in German cities over the past two decades, not only absolutely but even as a proportion of total travel, Overall, the bicycle share of urban trips in western Germany rose by 50% from 1972 to 1995, In many large cities, bicycling doubled or tripled, while the modal split share of auto travel fell, thus mitigating roadway congestion and pollution problems, The resurgence of bicycling as a practical mode of daily urban travel is due almost entirely to public policies that have greatly enhanced the safety, speed, and convenience of bicycling while making auto use more difficult and expensive, The bicycle has triumphed in Germany in spite of rapid suburbanization, rising auto ownership, increasing trip lengths, and rising per capita incomes, This article shows that, with the right set of public policies, bicycling can be increased almost anywhere.