What would happen if roads were exclusively for bicycles? Although it may seem like a utopia, in Germany this idea is already a reality. In the Ruhr region, a 101-kilometer-long highway designed exclusively for cyclists is being built. This is the Radschnellweg Ruhr RS1, a route that connects the cities of Duisburg, Mülheim, Gelsenkirchen, Essen, Bochum, Dortmund, and Hamm along the Ruhr valley, completely restricting access to motor vehicles.
This road for cyclists not only facilitates urban commuting by road bike, allowing workers and students to move between cities and university campuses, but also promotes sustainable mobility. It is estimated that more than 50,000 cars will stop circulating daily, significantly reducing pollutant gas emissions. According to some sources, around 2 million cyclists will use this highway every day.
The origin of this innovative project dates back to 2010, when a day of awareness about bicycle use was held. For 24 hours, the highway between Duisburg and Dortmund was closed to motorized traffic and enabled only for bicycles. On that day, nearly 3 million people took to the road by bike, demonstrating the need for adapted infrastructure.
As a result of this experience, the construction of a parallel route was proposed that could be used all year round by cyclists, regardless of whether they ride a mountain bike or a road bike. The Radschnellweg Ruhr RS1 has been designed by connecting already existing sections with new segments that link the main cities of the Ruhr valley. This type of infrastructure represents a key advance for sustainable urban mobility, offering cyclists greater safety and comfort in their daily commutes.