The Danish Cycle Superhighway is a collaboration between 27 municipalities – including ICLEI Member Copenhagen (Denmark) – and the Capital Region of Denmark, which shows the major benefits that come from collaboration to develop cycling infrastructure.

In 2009, an initial 16 municipalities and the Capital Region of Denmark began working together to create cohesive and interconnected bicycle routes in the region and to improve infrastructure for commuters biking across municipal borders. Through their work, a first cycle superhighway opened in the Capital Region of Denmark in 2012, and since then, the Cycle Superhighway Collaboration has been busy expanding the route network and monitoring its effects.

This year marks the 10th anniversary since the collaboration began working together. The Cycle Superhighway Collaboration now includes 27 municipalities and the Capital Region, making it the largest and most ambitious example of collective cross-municipal bicycle infrastructure in Denmark.

“Copenhagen initiated the Cycle Superhighway Collaboration after a report showed major potential in decreasing urban congestion by increasing the number of bike commuters entering and leaving Copenhagen,” said Ninna Hedeager Olsen, Mayor of Technical and Environmental Affairs, City of Copenhagen. “However, in order to do that, we need to collaborate with the other municipalities in the region to improve the conditions for cycling. Copenhagen might be the world’s most bicycle-friendly city, but that doesn’t affect our ambition to continue to improve and expand – and maybe even one day be a part of the world’s most bicycle-friendly region.”

The total planned network of cycle superhighways consists of 45 routes. Currently, eight have been built, with eight more due to be launched in the coming years.

On the occassion of its anniversary, the results and positive impacts of the eight existing routes that make up the network have now been collected in a dedicated “Bicycle Account.” This has made the positive effects clear. On average, upgrading cycle routes to cycle superhighways has resulted in a 23 percent increase in cyclists, with 14 percent of new cyclists having previously travelled by car.

The Bicycle Account shows not only the positive direct impacts of the routes, but also the indirect effects of the total network and of commuting by bike in general.

A socio-economic analysis of the cycle superhighway network estimates that the project resulted in a socio-economic surplus of €765 million, making the project one of Denmark’s most profitable infrastructure investments. The health benefits alone make up €616 million of that surplus.

The Cycle Superhighway Collaboration has been selected as one of the 100 city projects that makes the case for climate action in 2019, as profiled in the Cities100 Report. Already, cycling in the Capital Region saves the equivalent of 15,000 Danes’ annual CO2 emissions.

Copenhagen works on cycling in part through the CIVITAS Handshake project. Click here to learn more.