There are an estimated 900,000 bicycles in the Dutch capital Amsterdam – more than there are inhabitants. Well over half of Amsterdammers get on their bikes every day.
But so many bikes also need a shelter. That’s why the city of Amsterdam is opening one of two huge parking garages for bicycles at the weekend – with an equally huge party, as the city writes in a statement.
The construction of the bicycle parking garages, which are located near the main train station, took four years. The two new bicycle halls offer space for 11,000 bicycles. The special feature: They were built under water.
Car park number one is located in Stationsplein under the open harbor front and has space for 7000 bikes. This makes it the largest bicycle parking facility in Amsterdam. It is connected underground to the underground station and the main train station, which makes it easier to switch from two-wheelers to public transport.
The second bicycle hall was built in the water at the back of the station, on IJboulevard. 4000 bikes can be parked here. The opening is not until February.
If you want to park your bike in one of the “sheds”, you can do so without cash: with a bank card, a payment card for public transport or a special chip on the bike, the fietstag. The first 24 hours of parking are free.
The construction measures were part of a major renovation of the area around the main train station. A 6,000-square-foot boulevard has been built next to the two bicycle parking garages, which the city says will offer a beautiful view of the water. “Walks and bridges have been renewed, footpaths and cycle paths widened, tram tracks and stops replaced and numerous underground cables and pipes laid.”
The underground garages for bicycles should not only serve the pedals, but above all the pedestrians of the capital, as the city explains. “In the weeks after the opening, all the bike racks will gradually disappear from the streets.” Without bike racks, it’s easier to keep the streets clean and safe, so the argument goes.
The city of Amsterdam expects the traffic situation from the construction project to be like it was around 1900. “The opening of the new bicycle racks marks the beginning of a new era in which Amsterdam Central will be a bit like it was in 1900. Accessible and pleasant , without cars and bikes parked anywhere and nowhere.”
However, the city expects that the demand for the bicycle parking spaces will increase in the coming years. Therefore, preparations have already begun for additional bicycle parking spaces.
Sources: City of Amsterdam, verderfietsen.nl
