CYCLING WATERWAYS

Cycling Waterways aims to develop policies that actively foster the co-functionalization of waterways to promote sustainable mobility. With a specific emphasis on establishing cycling paths along embankment roads adjacent to rivers, artificial wetlands, streams, lakes, and canals, etc. the project seeks to improve existing infrastructure and construct new pathways.

The ultimate aim is to reduce reliance on cars for daily mobility, contributing also to strengthening a more sustainable tourism centered around cycling.

Waterways are naturally suitable for cycling routes as they offer safe and well-designed paths that meet EU standards for quality design principles, including safety, directness, coherence, attractiveness, and comfort. By developing cycle paths along waterways, the project aims to support short-distance mobility within urban and rural areas, promote long-distance cycling routes, encourage sustainable tourism, promote biodiversity respect in the design of new paths and enhance the historical water heritage of the territories.

However, implementing cycling infrastructure along waterways requires careful consideration of various challenges like ensuring adequate safety standards, addressing property crossing issues, securing funding for the construction and maintenance of cycle paths, ensuring compatibility with agricultural activities, managing water flow and navigation, and developing facilities to enhance the usability of the tracks.

The project brings together six European regions with a solid connection to waterways, whether rivers, canals, coastal areas, or lakes. These regions have different levels of development and approaches to promoting the cyclability of their waterways. The project aims to address common challenges and work collaboratively to overcome them by sharing experiences and knowledge and developing policy instruments that improve the cyclability and accessibility of waterways for sustainable mobility purposes.