Norman Foster Proposes 220km Elevated Bike Path in London

As many more urban areas begin to act on their environmental impact, we’re seeing an influx in bike-friendly initiatives, e.g. ensuring the safety of cyclists through the placement of specified bike lanes in between parked cars and sidewalks. In the latest inventive scheme, Foster + Partners has unveiled a plan that could transfer London’s railways into cycling freeways on an elevated network of paths built above the city’s existing lines. A lateral approach in finding scarce space within a congested metropolis, the 220-kilometer-long “SkyCycle” – as it has been coined – will connect more than 6 million residents via 200 entrance points for a safer and cleaner commute. Having already received backing from Network Rail and Transport for London, a 6.5 km trial route is expected to cost £220 million GBP (approximately $361 million USD). If approved, the SkyCycle project could become a reality by 2035.