Copenhagen's health care system is to save $60M/y with new bike highways

One in three Copenhageners ride they bicycle every day to work or to school. They chose to cycle because its fast, convenient and cheap. And they want to have more straight and direct routes to go faster.

So a network of 26 new bike routes, "the cycling highways", will link the surrounding suburbs to Copenhagen. Each mile of bike highway will cost about $1 million. The project is to be financed by the city of Copenhagen and 21 local governments.

The first highway, to the busy suburb of Albertslund some 10 miles outside the city, was completed in April.

The return on investment is impressive: the bike highway alone is expected to save Copenhagen's health care system some $60 million a year.

Copenhagen sets a leading example in integrating health aspects in transportation. Once the highway network is completed, an estimated 15,000 additional people will switch from driving to biking.

Source: http://www.npr.org/2012/09/01/160386904/in-bike-friendly-copenhagen-highways-for-cyclists