May 28, 2020 - From Rotterdam to Rome, cities around the world are mobilizing a new order centered around bicycles and sensible mobility as a cure for the pandemic and the chronic problems they’ve been dealing with for years.
![The times they are a changin © Vancouver City Cycling](https://i0.wp.com/ebikes-international.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Vancouver-Cyclists.2.jpg?resize=817%2C500&ssl=1)
City planners are trumpeting the call for change and momentum is building for more liveable and sustainable cities which share universal challenges. Holland has long been a successful protagonist in this regard with an impressive cycling culture and infrastructure.
“Building the Cycling City: The Dutch Blueprint for Urban Vitality” by Melissa and Chris Bruntlett is a detailed, historical outline of the triumphs and challenges of the Dutch cycling story (order here).
Former chief planner of Toronto, Jennifer Keesmaat, is spearheading a 2020 Declaration for Resilience in Canadian Cities as the wake up call is upon us. Vancouver City Council just voted to reallocate at least 11% of the total city street space to “people-focused public space” – an estimated 220-250km. Montreal recently unveiled one of the world’s largest cycling and walking strategies – 320km. And Calgary’s State of our City 2020 was released on May 27.
Urbanists like Brent Toderian, Vancouver’s former chief planner, are keen to ensure that lessons learned during Covid-19 are here to stay – check out his #QuestionsForToderian
The rallying cry is getting louder around the globe and the real hope is that these changes will be permanent and a new era of a more sensible, sustainable, equitable, economical and environment-friendly state of affairs is here to stay as bicycles trump cars to give cities back to the people.
See below and watch Bob Dylan perform The Times They Are A Changin’ 1964 here.
![](https://i0.wp.com/ebikes-international.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Rotterdam-Modacity.png?resize=605%2C695&ssl=1)
Click here.
![](https://i0.wp.com/ebikes-international.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Keesmaat-Toronto.png?resize=608%2C727&ssl=1)
Click here.
![](https://i0.wp.com/ebikes-international.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Greece-Toderian.png?resize=603%2C691&ssl=1)
Click here.
![](https://i0.wp.com/ebikes-international.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Rome-EU.png?resize=606%2C705&ssl=1)
Click here.
![](https://i0.wp.com/ebikes-international.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Montreal-Swanson.png?resize=593%2C694&ssl=1)
Click here.