The bike lanes on Torvegade are narrow and the hourly capacity is estimated to be about 1,500 bicycles per hour. However, according to recent counts, an average of 3,000-3,300 bicycles pass the street per hour during the morning rush hours. The congestion on Torvegade is obviously a problem that will only worsen in step with urban expansion and the rising number of city dwellers that will result in even more cyclists.

As part of the project ‘Increased bicycle capacity on Torvegade’, Artelia examined different options for traffic improvement in close collaboration with The City of Copenhagen and through a dialogue with the local district committee. The project included various traffic counts, a detailed mapping of the area, an urban space analysis and citizen involvement. Furthermore, the range of options were examined by using the traffic model COMPASS, which Artelia has developed for The City of Copenhagen. Several different solutions were discussed, and eventually, two different project proposals were handed over to the local politicians.

In March 2022, the city council decided to go ahead with our first proposal, which implies widening cycle lanes and pavements in both directions with 3,5 and 2 meters respectively. Consequently, car traffic is given a lower priority, but following the urban tendencies and the general public’s increasing preference for greener cities, the politicians chose to prioritize cyclists and pedestrians.