Paris Added 30,000 Shared Bikes, 20,000 New Cycle Spaces, and 34 Miles of Bike Lanes For the 2024 Olympic Games, Boosting Daily Bike Trips to Support an Expected 10 Percent of Olympic Visitors Using Bikes to Access 35 Venues.
The City of Paris Expanded Bike Share Network and Cycling Infrastructure to Help Meet Mobility Needs During the 2024 Summer Olympics.
Paris, France
Cyclists Are Taking Over Paris for the Olympic Games
Summary Information
To prepare for the 2024 Olympic Games, Paris launched an ambitious plan to expand its bike network. The goal was to enhance the cycling network to encourage bike usage during the busy traffic conditions due to the games. Drawing from past Olympic cities’ successes and challenges, Paris added new bike lanes, expanded parking options, and increased the availability of shared bikes. These improvements sought to support both the Games and the city’s long-term mobility goals.
METHODOLOGY
As part of the bike network enhancements, Paris added 34 miles of new bike routes for the Olympics and introduced 20,000 new, permanent, and temporary cycle spaces across the city, such as double-decker cycle parking facility in the shadow of the stadium and a high-tech bike park covered with solar panels at a large train station. Key areas, such as the vicinity of the Stade de France, underwent extensive redevelopment to integrate cycling facilities. Multiple vendors added extra shared bikes, making 30,000, mostly electric, bikes available for the Games. In addition, a custom bike map was created to help visitors navigate the new routes, ensuring ease of access to Olympic venues.
FINDINGS
Compared to half a million bike trips in Paris every day, pre-Olympics, the enhanced bike network encouraging bike usage could potentially lead to an increased number of daily bike trips during the Olympic games. Paris city officials expected that 10 percent of an estimated 10 million Olympic visitors, travelling for 15 to 30 minutes, will arrive at 35 competition venues by bike.
