Healthy transportation methods – A world-class bicycle city

Description of the action and objectives

Green Deal action

The City will revise its biking plan with the goal of becoming a world-class cycling city. The goal is to increase biking's share of trips throughout the city. The capital area population is growing rapidly. At the same time, trips in the city are increasing significantly, with each resident taking an average of four trips per day. Cycling is an economical, healthy and fun mode of transportation. A better cycling city improves the quality of life for all residents. Air quality improves, residents become healthier, and traffic congestion decreases. Cycling is the happiest mode of transportation. The biking plan is monitored regularly, with progress updates posted on the project's website. During 2024-2025, the City will add more covered, secure bike shelters throughout Reykjavík.

 

Implementation period

Planned completion in the second half of 2025

Status: In progress

Status report on July 1, 2025

Cyclist counts on the city's paths show steady growth. The exception is bad weather, which affects month-to-month comparisons in both summer and winter.

E-bike ownership is growing, and this is visible on the city's biking paths along with more electric-powered micro-mobility options. New biking paths have been added to the city's main biking network, where biking is separated from pedestrian traffic.

Two new bridges are under construction on the main pathway system for walking and biking through Elliðaárdalur, with a third in the planning stages as part of the Transportation Charter's implementation plan. A working group was formed to create guidelines for installing bike shelters throughout the city for different user groups.

The City decided to begin developing a walking plan similar to the biking plan to improve pedestrian access throughout the city. During this period, several new biking paths have been in development under the 2021-2025 biking plan and the Transportation Charter.

Discussions with key representatives from the cycling community focused on winter maintenance services and ways to improve them through collaboration with pathway system users.

The City completed reports on bike theft and prevention strategies, as well as a report on cycling routes between Keflavík International Airport and Reykjavík.

Development of a new biking plan has begun with the formation of a steering group.

Older status reports

Below you can find older status reports with information on the progress of the action since its inception (if you're using your phone, it's better to turn it sideways).
  Timeline Progress description
  January 2024 We continue to work on the reconstruction of walking and biking paths in the city, according to the biking plan and the Transportation Charter for the capital area. By the end of 2023, about 42 km of biking paths will be completed. In 2024, about 5 km will be added. According to the plan, we are also working to increase the number of accessible and safe bike racks in the city.
  July 2023 We are building walking and biking paths based on Reykjavík City’s biking plan. In collaboration with the Road Administration and Transport for the Capital Area, we are creating dedicated biking paths along major biking routes in Reykjavík. In 2023, we estimate there will be about 45 km of dedicated bike routes in Reykjavík. Each year, about 3-5 km of new biking paths or routes in various designs are added. We have completed the goal of providing bike racks at primary schools to match 20% of the student population at each school. Next, we will implement a similar plan for City run preschools.
  January 2023 Implementation of the newly approved bike plan continued this year, including ongoing work on building bike paths in the city and setting up secure bike and scooter parking areas at several primary schools. The progress of the plan was presented at an Environment & Planning Council meeting on December 14, 2022.
  July 2022 Implementation of the newly approved bike plan continued this year, including ongoing work on building bike paths in the city and setting up secure bike and scooter parking areas at several primary schools.

 

Connection of action to Reykjavík City's policies:

 

Reykjavík City departments: