Lisbon awarded with the Bloomberg Initiative for Cycling Infrastructure

Lisbon was selected as one of the 10 cities globally to receive The Bloomberg Initiative for Cycling Infrastructure (BICI) award. The award was presented on 3rd of June, World Bike Day, in New York by Bloomberg Philanthropies for the first time.

Lisbon has received a sum of $400,000 to improve its cycling infrastructure and promote sustainable options for its residents and visitors.

The purpose of the BICI is to assist Lisbon in increasing the cycling rate and promoting community well-being by developing bicycle lanes that make cycling easier. The award also involves the expertise of the Global Designing Cities Initiative (GDCI), which specialises in project development, designing cycling frameworks, gathering data, and conducting resident research.

The stunning architecture in Lisbon has its benefits, but it also poses challenges for cyclists due to the narrow and steep cobbled streets. This makes it difficult for both commuters and tourists exploring the city on bicycle. To overcome this, the GDCI's assistance will be necessary to create bicycle lanes that are accessible to everyone.

Skye Duncan, Executive Director of GDCI, declared in a press release that the construction of secure and interconnected bicycle routes is a requirement that has advantages not only for the environment and economy but also for people's physical health, mental health, and well-being.

Research has indicated that a city that prioritises the development of cycling infrastructure can result in social and environmental advantages, leading to a happier and healthier lifestyle for the community. 

From 26th to 29th of June to June, Bloomberg Philanthropies and GDCI will hold a meeting in London with representatives from Lisbon and nine other cities to initiate the planning process and exchange ideas among the ten destinations. In a press release, founder of Bloomberg LP Michael R. Bloomberg suggested that in order to make cycling safer and more accessible, significant technical assistance will be required. He added that the efforts made by these ten cities to promote cycling will have the added benefits of improving air quality, protecting the environment, and boosting economic growth.

According to a press release, the competition, which was launched in October at the CityLab summit in Amsterdam, has received more than 275 applications from six continents and 66 countries. Bloomberg Philanthropies, the philanthropic organisation of Bloomberg LP founder and majority owner Michael Bloomberg, is behind the competition that is affiliated with Bloomberg CityLab.

The other nine winners of the awards represent a collective population of 15 million people from around the world. Fortaleza in Brazil will create 180 km of new protected bicycle lanes and improve the safety of 100 intersections. It also aims to better connect bicycle lanes throughout the inner city to encourage children, women, and less-skilled riders to travel by bicycle. Ethiopia's capital city, Addis Ababa, plans to double the quantity of protected lanes in order to achieve the nation's largest cycling network. Mombasa in Kenya will connect a cycle network along major corridors with high cycling volumes, while Mozambique's Quelimane will target the creation of new protected cycling lanes, pedestrian areas, and cycling loading zones to reduce traffic congestion. 

As Lisbon, Milan aims to build new bicycle lanes that will connect dozens of schools across their cities, creating safe cycling access for children. Bogota will focus on its younger residents, involving them in the design of new infrastructure that will help revitalize a low-income neighbourhood. Pimpri-Chinchwad in India will create a neighbourhood model of the 15-minute city centred around cycling. The other winning cities are Tirana in Albania, which will use safe intersection design to create an all-ages cycling network, and Wellington in New Zealand, which will seek input from indigenous communities to increase the number of bicycle lanes by 160%.

Lisbon has embraced the challenge of creating a modern, cycling-friendly city, as shown by their selection for Bloomberg Philanthropies’ BICI grant. With an incredible $400,000 awarded to help make the city a more cycle-friendly place, it is evident that there is much potential that lies ahead. 

The effort to improve cycling infrastructure and promote sustainable transportation options can be seen not just in Lisbon but cities around the world striving to build greener communities. It is important to support projects like this and encourage strides towards improving global climate change efforts. These grants will help these 10 cities take decisive action towards making a better tomorrow.