Bike lane around city centre of Valencia reduces traffic

Bike lane around city centre of Valencia reduces traffic

The new bike lane running up Calle Colón and connecting the cycle lanes to make a ring around the city centre has reduced traffic, according to www.20minutos.com.

Many argue that the bike lane has made it impossible to drive up Calle Colón when trying to access the centre by car. The bike lane has reduced the number of lanes and they say cars wishing to go straight have to wait behind cars turning left or right from the 2 remaining lanes, causing congestion. That, coupled with no place for loading and unloading vehicles, makes for a frustrating trip up Calle Colón to the centre.

On the other hand, 20 minutos reports that the knowledge of a potential traffic jam on Calle Colón means people are now choosing alternative routes, opting instead for the Gran Vía Marqués de Turia, which has 4 lanes in each direction and generally has lower congestion.

20 minutos reports that traffic on Calle Colón has reduced by 21%, which was one of the city council’s main objectives when building the bike lane. It also claims that people are choosing alternatives to driving to the centre as there is plenty of public transport available. Another council objective is to promote the use of bikes, because the centre can be accessed from any point on the bike lane, making it very easy and environmentally friendly.

It is possible to go on a bike tour of the city centre and the Ciudad de Artes y Ciencias with https://www.bikealao.com/tours#city or simply rent a bike and check it out for yourself.

Do you drive or cycle in Valencia? Do you think the bike lane has made life easier or more difficult?

Bike lane around city centre of Valencia