Though we may love our cycling here in Bloomington, people in Copenhagen are taking bike-riding to a whole new extreme – building bicycle superhighways.

The $47 million project makes sense, considering over 500,000 people ride their bikes to work, school or wherever they go each day. Can you imagine that happening in your town? The following are some of the features of the bike superhighway:

• Smooth, even surfaces free of leaves, ice and snow
• As direct as possible with no detours
• Homogenous visual expression, for example, with signage and the trademark blue bike lanes through larger intersections
• 'Service stations' with air and tools along the routes.
• Possibility to maintain a high speed and with sufficient width to overtake other cyclists.
• Safe and quick crossing priority for cyclists when they approach cross streets.
• Green Wave for cyclists through sections with frequent stop lights. [The Green Wave is in place on three main routes into Copenhagen already. Cycle 20 km/h and you hit green lights all the way.]

Read More: They Are Building Bicycle Superhighways in Copenhagen (TreeHugger)