The bicycle used to be associated with a rural leisurely life, but now it has firmly established itself on the streets of big cities. The number of cyclists in the capital of Russia has long exceeded 3 million, but the first bicycle path in Moscow appeared only in 2011. The length and number of these highways are growing, so the number of accidents involving cyclists has significantly decreased.
Take a ride with the breeze!
Today, about 200 km of bicycle routes laid out in park areas and also having a transport function are equipped in the capital. The longest are bike paths in the center of Moscow that run through parks and along river embankments. Bicycle transport routes run along the tracks and along the main streets.
Of course, not everywhere in the metropolis ideal conditions for cyclists are created. Underground and ground passages make you carry an iron horse. Multi-lane tracks with heavy traffic are no less difficult, in a word, there are still many difficulties. But cyclists are convinced that the future lies with this mode of transport. And until it comes, you can spend a day off pedaling along one of the most picturesque bike paths in Moscow.
Yauz route
It is 16 km long, it starts from the Garden of the Future Park, which is not far from the Botanichesky Sad metro station, and ends at the high-rise on Kotelnicheskaya Embankment. The route will lead through historical places along the river. A bike ride will allow you to admire the Rostokinsky aqueduct, located near the bridge, which is also popularly called the "Million". Here you can pause and recall that it was erected even under the legendary Catherine the Second. For a long time it was considered the highest stone bridge, and fabulous funds for those times were spent on its construction: more than one million rubles.
In addition to this attraction, many interesting things will be encountered along the path of cyclists: Lefortovo Park, the Stroganovs estate, the Museum of Old Russian Culture and Art and much more. Thus, the cycle route along the Yauza embankment will bring a lot of pleasure, saturating the day with vivid impressions. And if there are still forces at its finish, then it will be possible to go along the embankment of the Moscow River or along the Boulevard Ring.
Moskvoretsky route
Starting from the pond at the Novospassky Monastery and running along the banks of the Moskva River, it leads to the city center and to the most popular tourist places. In order not to spend extra money, it is better to take a larger supply of water with you. Vasilyevsky Descent, Alexander Garden, Gorky Park - Moscow's world-famous places are now equipped with bicycle paths. The main thing is not to yawn on Pushkinskaya embankment, as pedestrians, carried away by a walk, may be right in front of the wheels of the bicycle.
Then the route goes to Kosygin street. Here you can visit the highest viewing platform, see Moscow and rise above the city smog. The last item will be Kiev Station. Seventeen kilometers of aesthetic pleasure, clean air and a comfortable walk - all this is the Moskvoretsky route. In addition, bike paths in Moscow parks are convenient and environmentally friendly, as there is room and cars do not interfere. Moreover, there are already several such highways in the city.
In the night capital
This route is very different from other bike paths in Moscow, because in the dark the bustling and bustling city becomes completely different. Many familiar places look completely new in the light of lanterns. The route starts from the Turgenevskaya metro station and runs along the Boulevard Ring. There are few cars on the roads at night, which is very convenient, since you can admire the architecture with plenty, and even steep slopes and slides are not tiring. Then the road leads to the legendary Tversky Boulevard - the historical part of the city, and Old Arbat is still waiting on the way. From here, you can drive to the Patriarchal Ponds by old alleys and streets; at night they look the same as in Bulgakov’s famous novel.
Bicycle paths in the center of Moscow are well adapted for long and comfortable walks. Another magnificent place is the Big Stone Bridge, from here a bewitching view of the Kremlin opens. Illuminated by night lights, it has been admiring for hundreds of years. On the bridge you can cross the Moscow River and slowly move to the final point - Kitai-Gorod metro station.
As the map will show
The first to outline bicycle paths in Moscow was artist Anton Polsky. This initiative found a grateful response from urban residents. Now everyone can find any suitable route using the latest maps of Moscow bicycle routes. Now they are available even in the form of applications for mobile phones. Below is a diagram of the bike path in Moscow - one of those that are gaining popularity recently.
Future plans
Omnipresent statistics calculated that Muscovites have used bike rental more than one million times in this bike season. And the parade of cyclists, which has been held annually in Moscow since 2012, set a new record at the end of May - forty thousand participants rolled on two-wheeled vehicles. It was a truly national holiday, bringing together cyclists aged 10 to 78 years. They drove along the Garden Ring with a wide and bright column. The huge popularity of bicycles requires the development of appropriate infrastructure. The number of bike rentals and the number of cyclists is growing, which means that new bike paths are needed in Moscow.
Where are we going?
From 2011 to the present, 56 routes have been laid in Moscow. In the near future, it is planned to open new bike paths in the Terletskaya Dubrava and ZIL parks, as well as near the Grachevka estate, in the Brateevskaya floodplain and the Meshcherskoye recreation area.
In addition, the streets restored last year will also acquire bicycle paths. In total, plans to lay them on 23 central streets with a total length of 20 kilometers. In addition, the installation of more than 300 special traffic lights at the most intense intersections will streamline the movement of cyclists. Of course, the movement of cyclists in the streets is also difficult for pedestrians, therefore, priority is given to the embankments and parks in the construction of bicycle paths in Moscow.
No matter how pessimistic some forecasts say that the bicycle will not be able to displace noisy and air-polluting cars, many take the example from residents of European capitals, using the bicycle not only for pleasant walks, but also to get to work. That is why the city authorities pay great attention to the development of bicycle paths in Moscow. In addition, bike parks and rental points for two-wheeled horses appear.
The My Street program has not yet been completed, as Deputy Moscow Mayor for Transport Maxim Liksutov assures. Therefore, many bicycle paths in Moscow, like bicycle lanes separated by road markings, are just starting to be built, they will be available for use next season.
But it was decided not to build a bicycle route on the Boulevard Ring, everything remained at the pre-design stage, as a sociological survey revealed that the townspeople did not support this idea. But as a pilot project, appropriate markup will be applied on a small area. If cyclists appreciate it, soon the entire Boulevard Ring will have a bike path.
Green Ring Program
In June, the Bicycle Forum organized by the Moscow Department of Transport was held in the capital. Cycling activists and experts in the field of transport and roads discussed many pressing issues. But the most striking part of the program was the presentation of the large-scale Green Ring project. It is called to unite in a closed network all bike routes connecting 18 metro stations, 6 railway stations, as well as one and a half dozen parks. The length of the route will be 75 kilometers, it is planned to equip all the associated infrastructure.
Bike activists were asked to drive along the Green Ring, and then set out the collected observations for the department’s future work to improve the project. This proposal was met with great enthusiasm, and now bike lovers have every chance to use comfortable bike paths in Moscow. Although even today the reviews of cyclists on existing routes indicate that the Russian capital is not inferior in this regard to other European cities.