John when is the magazine coming out with my interview in it so I can buy some copies  This is Mrs. williams from 63 and Talman. You were doing a story on the safty flags at the cross walk. my e-mail [email protected] Where can I pick up a copy or two??

As inspiring as the example of Amsterdam is, I think we in Chicago need to keep in mind the differences between Amsterdam in 1973 and Chicago today (i.e., at the time that these cities got serious about bicycle infrastructure, respectively).  Preface:  Amsterdam is my favorite city in the world…
In Amsterdam (and the Netherlands generally) the population is fairly homogeneous, with a sense of community.  In 1973, most residents (I’ll bet) already used a bike for transportation at least occasionally.  They could agree that more bike infrastructure was good for society; they could agree that driving a car should be expensive.
In Chicago today, practically nobody has ever used a bicycle for transportation.  We have little sense of community.  Bike infrastructure is, to most people, a perk for the enjoyment of a few athletic types.
So, while in Amsterdam it is true that separated bike paths increased ridership, I am not so sure that it can happen here – it’s the chicken/egg issue.  Before we can get public support for the network of separated paths that we need, we need to get more people on bikes.  Maybe the best strategy is to concentrate on bike boulevards (maybe not calling them that).  Property owners who see the value of their homes rising from being on such a street will support it. Cycling will be encouraged by it.  And it can be sold to the general public as beneficial for “real” people, not just cyclists.