In Rotterdam, cyclists get the green light faster when it rains

The Netherlands city is trialling traffic light sensors, which limit cyclist waiting times to 40 seconds when it’s raining.

We recently wrote about a Denmark-based scheme that gives cyclists traffic priority. In another leap to encourage citizens to cycle, the Netherlands city is trialling a method to speed up cycle journeys in the rain.

The city council has installed sensors connected to traffic lights that can detect when it’s raining. Traffic lights on Rotterdam cycle paths already have dedicated phasing for bike lanes, and now on a wet day, wait times for cyclists are cut from three minutes to 40 seconds. So while drivers, dry inside their cars, have to compromise and wait a little longer, cyclists can get to their destination faster. The trial is currently limited to one set of traffic lights, with plans to expand to other crossroads around the city.

Not only is cycling in the rain uncomfortable, poor vision and slippery roads create likely hazards. How else could cities create shorter cycle journeys for bad weather conditions?