Mayor Boris Johnson has unveiled a wildly ambitious £913m 10-year plan to make cycling an integral part of London's transportation network.
Gwyn Topham describes the key elements of Johnson's plan to turn London into a world-class cycling city. These include an east-west segregated superhighway dubbed "Crossrail for the bike," up to three "mini-Hollands" to transform cycling habits in the suburbs, and a network of back-road 'quietways' for less confident riders.
The reaction from the blogosphere was cautious, but overwhelmingly positive. Writing in The Guardian, Peter Walker claimed that "Thursday's announcement has the possibility of re-shaping the way Londoners transport themselves over the coming decades. Yes, only London, but if other UK cities see the benefits of mass cycling they could follow."
He also praised as one of the best elements of the plan "the way it emphasises that more cyclists is good for everyone: less road congestion, less smog, more seats on the tube, a city tilted that bit away from motor vehicles and towards human beings, however they might be propelled."
Sounding the cautious note, Mark Ames at ibikelondon, remarked that, "the devil is in the detail - people on bikes will be watching TfL and the Mayor's new cycling czar carefully to make sure today's proposals are delivered in a timely fashion and to the highest detail."
Johnson himself best described the transformative philosophy behind his plan:
I want cycling to be normal, a part of everyday life. I want it to be something you feel comfortable doing in your ordinary clothes, something you hardly think about. I want more women cycling, more older people cycling, more black and minority ethnic Londoners cycling, more cyclists of all social backgrounds – without which truly mass participation can never come. As well as the admirable Lycra-wearers, and the enviable east Londoners on their fixed-gear bikes, I want more of the kind of cyclists you see in Holland, going at a leisurely pace on often clunky steeds.
FULL STORY: London to get network of bike routes as part of £913m plan for safer cycling

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

Chicago’s Ghost Rails
Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.

Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail
The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.

Ohio Forces Data Centers to Prepay for Power
Utilities are calling on states to hold data center operators responsible for new energy demands to prevent leaving consumers on the hook for their bills.

MARTA CEO Steps Down Amid Citizenship Concerns
MARTA’s board announced Thursday that its chief, who is from Canada, is resigning due to questions about his immigration status.

Silicon Valley ‘Bike Superhighway’ Awarded $14M State Grant
A Caltrans grant brings the 10-mile Central Bikeway project connecting Santa Clara and East San Jose closer to fruition.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Caltrans
City of Fort Worth
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
City of Portland
City of Laramie