The promised audit is being conducted by Danish consultancy Copenhagenize, which was recently in Lisbon riding "over 300 km in three days". Until June 30th, cyclists and other users of the city's bike paths can participate in an online survey.
The promised audit of Lisbon's cycling network is moving forward. In late March, the Lisbon City Hall hired the Danish consulting firm Copenhagenize Design Co.The company, specialized in bicycle design and planning, to help it evaluate the bicycle lane safety of the city. Members of Copenhagenize were recently in Lisbon to experience the infrastructure on the ground. Now, and until June 30th, Copenhagenize and the Lisbon city council want to know the opinion of the local users.
Until June 30th, cyclists and other users of Lisbon's cycling network can participate in a online surveysharing general information about your commuting habits, feedback on the safety and design of the network, details about where you ride the most, and some socio-demographic information. The survey is anonymous.
According to the Lisbon Municipality, the completion of the questionnaire should take about six minutes; this instrument aims to "evaluate the existing cycling network with respect to the safety, needs, concerns and preferences of its users, with a view to improving the local infrastructure".
According to the Lisbon City Hall, "the existence of a network, made up of sections very different from each other, with inconsistencies, contributing to a use that is sometimes unsafe and uncomfortable for the users of bicycles, determined the need for a technical audit, in order to ensure that this infrastructure presents the best possible safety conditions".
Audit costs 68,75 thousand euros
The contract with Copenhagenize, worth 68.75 thousand euroswas signed March 30 and published in early May on the Base portal. The Danish consultant was selected among six other companies, which were consulted by the municipality (prior consultation procedure): four other Danish consultants - the Gehl Architects, a Loendersloot International, a Mobycon and the Beccan Davila Puentes - and an Italian one - the Decisio.
Three members of Copenhagenize were in Lisbon recently to tour "more than 300 km in three days"with the objective of "analyze the cycling infrastructure of the entire city". The team shared a video on Twitter. Carlos Moedas, Mayor of Lisbon, shared the video, with the following message: "Thank you @copenhagenizers for helping us with such an important project. We want to do better and make sure everyone is safe on our bike paths."
Thank you @copenhagenizers for helping us on such important project. We want to do better and be sure that everyone is safe in our bike lanes. https://t.co/ptTu3daHSU
- Carlos Moedas (@Moedas) May 25, 2023
The Copenhagenize refers to that the kind of analysis you are now performing in Lisbon "can guide municipalities and regions in developing their cycling network by designing intersections, identifying missing links and connecting key destinations. We can also assess a municipality's cycling mobility policy in a broader sense by looking at its entire bicycle ecosystem according to the 13 criteria we developed for the Copenhagenize Index of Bicycle Friendly Cities.".
According to the Lisbon Chamber, the audit has five phases. In the current phase of the work (phase one), dedicated to observation and analysis of the existing network, it is intended to consult users on safety, needs, concerns and preferences. In phase two of the work, a multi-criteria analysis of the existing network is planned, in order to prioritize interventions. In phase three, solutions will be presented and interventions will be prioritized, based on network comfort and safety factors, and in phase four a final report. At the end of the process, phase five, which will take place at the end of October, a workshop is planned for capacity building and knowledge transfer, with lectures, cycling circuits, observation and activities, which will involve technicians from the municipality and municipal companies.
Remember that, in November 2022, EMEL adjudicated to the National Laboratory of Civil Engineering (LNEC) a specific audit to the Almirante Reis bicycle lane and roadway - a work integrated in integrated project that is being developed on this axis.
This is not the first time Copenhagenize
The Lisbon City Council had already contracted Copenhagenize in 2019. At the time, the Danish consulting firm had already conducted an analysis for lisbon municipality on cyclists' design linesand studied three intersections - one in Campo Grande, another on Avenida da República/Duque d'Ávila, and another in Picoas. However, the report on this work was never published and the Copenhagenize recommendations were not followed, with no changes having been made to the aforementioned intersections.
