New bicycle lanes to be created in downtown Helsinki

In City of Helsinki’s view, cyclists’ place is increasingly with motorists, not with pedestrians

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Biking in Helsinki is about to go through some changes in the coming years.
      More and more often bicyclists will use one-way cycle paths or bicycle lanes separated from the traffic lanes and wait at the traffic lights in their own “cyclist pockets”, marked with asphalt of reddish brown colour.
      Less and less frequently cyclists will be seen zigzagging among the pedestrians on the light traffic lanes.
      “Our aim is to get rid of two-way bicycle lanes everywhere where they have been found to be impractical”, explains bicycle traffic planner Marek Salermo from the Helsinki City Planning Department.
     
The model for the new plans has been adopted from Central Europe, and especially from the cycling superpowers Denmark and The Netherlands. In these countries cyclists do not ride among pedestrians. Instead a bicycle is considered a vehicle just like a car.
      The first cycle lane following the new model will be created on Arkadiankatu in the Töölö district of town. The City Planning Department will discuss the plans today, Thursday, and the idea is to realise the lane later this year.
     
The plans also include Helsinki’s first bicycle pockets or the areas within intersections reserved for cyclists for getting into the correct lane for turning. Their implementation, however, calls for Parliamentary approval of an amendment to the Road Traffic Act.
      In the course of the spring the City Planning Department also plans to redesign the bike lanes on southern Mannerheimintie, the south end of the Nordenskiöldinkatu, and on Mechelininkatu. The actual construction of these lanes, however, will not start this year.
     
The planning department’s idea is to create one-way bike lanes on Mechelininkatu and Nordenskiöldinkatu.
      “All the junctions are meant to be designed in such a way that cycling is smooth and safe”, Salermo says.
      This means that in the intersections cyclists are brought next to the cars. This way motorists will notice the cyclists and the risk of cyclists bumping into pedestrians is removed.
      The renewal means that cycling will become more controlled. But it also means that one has to follow the traffic regulations more carefully.
      “Our aim is to make adhering to the traffic code easy and straightforward.”
     
But of course there are still plans to create old-fashioned two-way bicycle lanes as well.
      According to Salermo, cycle lanes were considered for example for the main street in the Munkkiniemi suburb, which is currently undergoing renovations, but in the end the City Planning Department opted for suggesting a separate cycle path there instead.
     
The City of Helsinki wants to make using cycle paths optional.
      Presently, cycling on a motor traffic lane is forbidden where there is a separate bike path available and marked with a cycle path traffic sign.
      The city plans to suggest to the Ministry of Transportation, which is currently preparing amendments to the Road Traffic Act, an introduction of a new traffic sign, which would merely suggest but not oblige cyclist to use cycle paths. Such signs are already in use for example in Norway.


Previously in HS International Edition:
  ”Finland is no longer one of the leading cycling countries” (5.5.2009)
  HS test: Helsinki cyclists reach destinations faster than others (13.5.2008)

Helsingin Sanomat