4th Bicycle Lane Launched in Tehran

EghtesadOnline: Tehran Municipality has launched a new bike lane in the capital's District 7 in line with its program for promoting eco-friendly transportation.

News ID: ۷۸۴۷۱۷

11 June 2019

This brings the number of biking lanes in the capital to four, the Persian website Hamshahri Online reported.

The new lane is located in the eastern part of Taleqani Street, which horizontally crosses districts 6 and 7 in the center of the city.

Stretching over 1 kilometer between Mofatteh and Shariati streets, the new lane has been equipped with signage, lane markings and fences, according to Financial Tribune.

Karimkhan, Iranshahr and Mofatteh streets in Tehran’s District 6 have one bike lane each.

The move to promote biking in Iran’s major cities started about two years ago. In an effort to encourage bicycles as a mode of transport in Tehran, Mashhad and Yazd, a project was launched to set up bike lending centers and provide bicycles in educational centers and travel zones.

Although both men and women are allowed to use bicycles, women have been reluctant to take up the vehicle.

In Tehran, 50 terminals were set up across the city, mostly in crowded downtown areas and near interchange subway stations and tourist sites, to offer a total of 7,000 gearless bicycles. The terminals are still situated at several main city squares, including Tohid, Enqelab and Azadi.

Earlier in March, Tehran Municipality said it will invest 170 billion rials ($1.3 million) to develop biking facilities.

“TM's share of the fiscal 2019-20 budget bill is 189.3 trillion rials ($1.4 billion), of which over 89% or 169.05 billion rials ($1.3 million) are to be spent on promoting non-motorized transport,” Sakineh Ashrafi, a member of Tehran City Council, told ISNA.

Non-motorized transportation (also known as active transportation and human-powered transportation) includes walking and bicycling.

"The money for promoting human-powered transportation will be spent on promoting biking, establishing new bicycle lanes and renovating the existing lanes,” she added.

Ashrafi noted that biking is a green mode of transport that helps curb traffic congestion and improve air quality.