The Cycle City Network Nepal with support from the Promoting Green Recovery Project under the United Nations Development Program successfully completed the pilot-scale intervention in a 17 Ha area (2km road section) in neighborhoods surrounding the core city in Tulsipur Sub-Metropolitan City. 

The pilot included construction of 16 zebra crossings, cycle priority markings in major road intersections and more than 50 cycle logos in the neighborhood. The cycle lane development is the follow up of the rapid assessment for sustainable urban mobility conducted at the Tulsipur Sub-Metropolitan City.

The pilot aims to develop a cycling and pedestrian culture in the early development of the city to integrate non-motorized transport as a significant agenda in future expansion and developments. 

Further, the pilot also aims to bring into light concepts such as “cycle boulevards'' (streets which have been “optimized” for bicycles), as an early intervention in emerging cities that have yet to face the challenges of high-volume traffic. 

The designs were based on municipality road and neighborhood surveys, which indicated a traffic flow of less than 3000 per day and relatively low traffic speed (40 km/hrs).

An intervention of the whole area as cycle-friendly neighborhoods was thus preferred over dedicated cycle lanes.

A rapid study of the Google Earth Imagery of the area was done to study the distribution of built-up area, land uses, road network and terrain. 

Based on the study, the preliminary structural zoning for the development of cycling infrastructure has been identified. 

The zones were classified as Priority 1, Priority 2 and Priority 3 Zones based on their proximity from the commercial centers, population density and access to services.

The proposed pilot project lies at the heart of the priority zone 1 and connects the roads parallel to the Rapti Highway on the either side and few roads connecting them. 

The roads serve the Sub-Metropolitan City Office and commercial and institutional land uses of the City Center.

Priority Zone 1 comprises the core city area of Tulsipur Sub-Metropolitan City. It covers an area of about 20 sq.km. bound over a perimeter of about 17 Km. The area extends about 2 Km to North, about 2.5 Km East and West, and about 3 Km South of Birendra Chowk. 

This area has a well-developed road network and built-up environment with many public, commercial and institutional buildings/parks. Linking these uses with cycle tracks and other supporting infrastructures will not only facilitate the present cycle uses but also support in generating additional demand in the future.

The project has further provided recommendations to the municipality to further invest in the neighborhood on sign boards, speed regulating mechanisms like medians, traffic lights and so on. 

Similarly, Priority Zones 2 and 3 should focus on continuity of the cycle network in the core and connect major trip attraction centers such as public parks, industrial areas, schools and educational institutions, health institutions, etc. in these zones.

The Cycle City Network is a green partner of Annapurna Media Network initiative climate action campaign, Unity for Sustainability.