Photo: S | Unsplash
“Hitting a green wave? It’s the best feeling, especially when you’re in a hurry,” says Copenhagen cyclist Samuel Traum. “The opposite, a red wave, is the worst.” For those who do not live in cycle-friendly Copenhagen, the green wave that Traum describes is a system started by the city authorities 16 years ago: in order to encourage bike travel, they synchronized traffic lights on several key roads so that a rush-hour cyclist traveling at about 20km/h (12.4mph) could catch green lights all the way. Green waves are now set to spread to 15 more routes after the municipality approved new cycling provisions in the budget this month. “It’s so important to have the freedom on a bike to just ride along at a good speed,” says Line Barfod, the mayor for technology and environment, who zips down Nørrebrogade every day on her way to city hall and argues that more green waves will encourage people to ditch their cars. “You can feel the city wants you – and supports you – going on a bike.”
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