They Make No Small Plans In Jönköping, Sweden: A City Designed For Bikes

A lot of Torontonians are wondering where they will move after the election in October, as the candidates race to the bottom to outdo each other in slashing services, getting rid of bike lanes, building underground highways that make Boston's Big Dig look small and cheap, and where the formerly leading candidate lost my vote with his rallying cry "Scarborough, not Copenhagen"! (Scarborough is a troubled, car-dominated suburb)

That rallying cry was particularly troubling because Toronto could use a little Copenhagen, and even more Jönköping, a Swedish city where Architects We Are You have prepared a wonderful bike-centric plan.

Their strategy for the future is to make cycling easy, not driving. They have free bikes, canopied routes for rainy or snowy days, and bike repair stations.

They propose lots of public transport, development of residential near where people work, independent and self-sufficient neighbourhoods connected by rail and bike paths, and a bike-centric future.

Chicago's visionary architect Daniel Burnham said "Make no little plans. They have no magic to stir men's blood and probably will not themselves be realized."

They are listening in Jönköping. I wish they were here. More at Archdaily

From Treehugger.com