In a bid to promote green transport, China has opened the world’s longest elevated cycleway in the centre of Xiamen, a coastal city of Fujian Province in southeast China.
The 7.6 km long bicycle path in the air is China’s first and is open for a trial period of 1 month that started on 26 January, just before the start of the Chinese New Year.
China’s first elevated cycleway is the longest in the world.
Image: architect’s impression from Dissing + Weitling.
The purpose of the elevated cycleway is to decrease traffic congestion and to promote green transport.
China’s city dwellers returning to the bicycle
The winding “bike lane in the sky” sits about 5m above the road and just below the city’s bus rapid transit (BRT) line.
China’s urban dwellers are returning to the bicycle, not only as a way to avoid the increasing traffic jams, but also because of the health and environmental benefits.
Xiamen City Public Bicycle Management says the cycle path will be open for use by riders of public and private bikes from 6.30 am to 10.30 pm.
The elevated cycleway serves three business centres and five residential areas in downtown Xiamen. The city, formerly known as Amoy, is home to over 2.5 million people.
There are 11 entry and exit points along the cycleway, allowing easy access to bus and BRT stations, shopping malls, overpasses, and public buildings. There are cycle hire facilities at both ends of the cycleway.
Designed by firm responsible for Copenhagen’s Cycle Snake
The elevated cycleway is designed by Dissing + Weitling, the Danish architects responsible for the widely praised Cycle Snake cycleway across Copenhagen harbour that opened in 2014.
Over the past decade, the firm has worked on a number of projects involving cycling, green initiatives, and urban development.
They are currently working on the ShenZhong Link in Guangdong, China, the world’s widest immersed road tunnel, and also have further projects ongoing in Singapore, California, and other locations.
Video – China’s first elevated cycleway
The following video – from the Chinese video news channel CCTV+ – shows cyclists using the 7.6 km long elevated cycleway in Xiamen.
