Identity scan

Before you start designing and building new infrastructure it's important to sort out wheter the cycling connection is a clear case of a cycle highway.

Potential cycle highways in the region of the Noth Sea region. Opting for a clear A to B connection makes it easy to understand and explain the mobility product.

• How is the connection related to the future network of cycle highways in your region? Maybe your cycling connection is  rather a feeder to another cycle highway? Or a more local cycle route?
• Will the connection be very useful for commuters? Or is it rather a recreational route?
• How will you brand and promote your new mobility product?   

You can use the following tools to help you answer these kind of identity questions:

• a definition that clarifies the concept of a cycle highway
• a readability toolbox that helps you to turn your cycle highway into a strong mobility product
• a European map of potential cycle highways 

Four identity questions:

CHIPS definition of a cycle highway: functional cycling connection

1. Is the cycling connection you want to design part of a longer-distance functional connection for commuters?

Cycle highways are in the first place designed for commuting between two cities. Or between a major residential area or major workplace and a city, etc. In the case of these radial connections, it is recommended to define the (future) cycle highway as an easily understandable A to B connection, preferably going from one train station or multimodal hub to another. Avoid that the cycle highway starts or stops on a point that is not easily explainable for potential users. Your cycle highway could of course also be a tangential connection (ring-structure) from where other future cycle highways might start or end. Browse the future cycle highway network in Flanders or in the region of Copenhagen to see what a future cycle network could look like.

CHIPS definition of a cycle highway: backbone

2. Is the cycling connection a backbone of the local cycle network?

Or is the cycling connection you want to design rather part of the local network? This question has consequences for several design ambitions. A cycling connection that is part op the local network or that functions as a feeder to another cycle highway is a different mobility product and should not be designed, branded and promoted in the same way as a cycle highway. And in the clear case of a cycle highway, you might also want to improve the connections towards the local cycle network?

CHIPS definition of a cycle highway: users

3. Is the connection in the first place meant for cyclists and small scale e-mobility?

Or is the infrastructure, like some park- or greenways, meant to be shared with other users like pedestrians with pets, playing children etc.? If it’s a cycle highway that is primarily designed for cyclists and commuters, it is important to consider whether certain pieces might also be very important for other users. Avoid the mistake of not providing attractive solutions for pedestrians. 

CHIPS definition of cycle highway: mobility product

4. A cycle highway is a mobility product, how will you brand and promote this product?

Some cycle highways grow slow and are upgraded in different steps. How will you communicate this long term future project? Branding is already an important issue in the earlier planning stage. How will you call your cycle highway dream? What will you celebrate and promote when the construction works are finished? 

A cycle highway needs, just like a motorway, an extra identity layer. This layer helps to disclose the infrastructure as an attractive mobility product that can be easily recognized and promoted on the mobility market. Learn more about the importance of readability and wayfinding and browse the Readability Toolbox to find inspiring examples and recommended branding strategies.

CHIPS' fishing lake for potential cycle highways

Zoom into your region and see how your cycling connection is related to the potential cycle highways in Europe. Can you relate your connection to one of the more abstract blue lines with a high cycle highway potential? The map gives an indication of the most important connections and can help you to envision the future cycle highway network in your region.

Open the CH potential map

Learn more about the potential map