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Bicycle bridge and school 'Oog in Al' in Utrecht

Bike bridge in Netherlands incorporates green roof for a school

Cyclists encounter very different bridge on London Quietway
by Alex Bowden
Fri, Apr 07, 2017 16:58
9

A new bridge in the Dutch city of Utrecht has been designed to combine with a roof garden over a local school. Dafne Schippers Bridge, designed by NEXT Architects, features a gently curving ramp which will take cyclists through some park and onto the roof of the school’s gym before crossing the Amsterdam-Rhine Canal.

Describing the creation, NEXT architects’ Marijn Schenk said: “In one fluid movement, the cycle route, park, and school are brought together to form a cohesive whole of infrastructure, architecture, and landscape.”

Inhabitat reports that the bridge, which is named after Dutch sprinter, Dafne Schippers, opened on April 3.

Meanwhile, in London, cyclists will encounter a very different bridge on Quietway 2.

Netherlands
cycle bridge
Utrecht
Dafne Schippers Bridge
Alex Bowden

Alex has written for more cricket publications than the rest of the road.cc team combined. Despite the apparent evidence of this picture, he doesn't especially like cake.

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9 comments

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FluffyKittenofT... | 7 years ago
0 likes

Used to go under that bridge regularly.

Just happy I stopped having to go that way some time before the spate of cyclist muggings on Hackney marshes (did they ever catch those responsible? are they still going on?)

Edit - they should have routed some of the olympic cycling events through there - liven them up a bit.

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ChrisB200SX | 7 years ago
1 like

Lol at that limbo bridge on National Cycle Network 1. Most convincing bit of anti-cycling infrastructure I've seen!

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CygnusX1 replied to ChrisB200SX | 7 years ago
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ChrisB200SX wrote:

Lol at that limbo bridge on National Cycle Network 1. Most convincing bit of anti-cycling infrastructure I've seen!

Nothing wrong with it, as long as you're on a recumbent. Do cycling GPS apps/devices have an "avoid low bridges" option?

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Innerlube | 7 years ago
0 likes

You have to duck down on the drops but can pass through without dismounting. Nice link from Walthamstow to Clapton/ Hackney providing access to a River Lea crossing - the two bridges over the Lea are actually a far greater challenge to cyclists than this dodge down under the Lea Valley rail route - proper canal style bridges with cobbles/ steps on the ascent/ descent. Even taking all that into account still a viable route to from the Stow to Springfield Park and that section of Hackney, and preferable on occasion to the road crossings a mile or so up and down stream. 

Also, saw a grass snake once on the Marshes side of the railway- 15 M on from this pic in the drainage ditch on the left. Never seen one of those from the Lea Bridge Road!!

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Al__S | 7 years ago
0 likes

Nevermind Quietway 2, it's been on National Cycle Network 1 for years

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captain_slog | 7 years ago
4 likes

I think that bridge on Quietway 2 is on Coppermill Lane. This document from 2015 mentions that TfL are considering the possibility of lowering the road to 'improve the route for cyclists'. Or indeed anybody over five feet tall.

Here it is on Google, again from 2015. In fact I see from Endomondo that I cycled under that very bridge in May of that year. In other respects the area affords excellent routes.

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Bentrider | 7 years ago
3 likes

Great, a bike lane specifically for recumbents!

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ooldbaker | 7 years ago
0 likes

Daily Mail readers will not be able to rant about 'lycra maniacs with heads down on unsuitable bikes' ever again.

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Dnnnnnn | 7 years ago
5 likes

LOL at that London bridge!! Where is it? Probably easier to coast under on a bike than limbo on foot...

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