Enschede, situated in the eastern part of the Province of Overijssel near Germany and a pilot in the MegaBITS project, celebrated the opening of the final section of the F35 bike highway on April 17 and launched a campaign in the “Enschede Fietst” app aiming to stimulate the use of the (new) F35 cycle highway.
Figure 1: The F35 Cycle Highway, photo by Koos Mavrakis on behalf of the Municipality of Enschede
The City of Enschede, situated in the eastern part of the Province of Overijssel near Germany and a partner in the MegaBITS project, aspires to achieve specific targets by 2026, including a rise in short-trip bike usage from 43% to 50%, an increase in medium trip bike usage from 19% to 30%, heightened cyclist satisfaction rating at a minimum of 8 out of 10, and a 33% reduction in cycling accidents compared to 2019. To achieve this, Enschede has introduced four flagship projects within the MegaBITS initiative. One of the four flagship projects is a campaign in the “Enschede Fietst” app aiming to stimulate the use of the (new) F35 cycle highway.
On the 17th of April, the final section between Enschede station and Hengelo station was opened festively. Two bike bridges, one over the Tubantiasingel and one over the Lambertus Buddestraat, as well as a raised bike path along the train tracks, have been built to form the final links of this F35 route. Until right before the opening, hard work was carried out to realize the completion of the F35. The laying of asphalt was postponed until early April due to the bad weather at the end of last year. The completion of the F35 Enschede-Hengelo, along with its two bike bridges, required significant efforts. The last stretch alone, between Twekkelerveld and the Brandweerstraat, is approximately 1.4 km in length and contains 35,000 cubic meters of sand, 820 meters of railing, 44 new trees, 2,744 bushes and climbing plants, and approximately 8,000 square meters of seeded flower seeds. This project was made possible in part by the Province of Overijssel and the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management.
F35 users can cycle via two new bike bridges from Enschede station towards the University of Twente, Kennispark, Hengelo station, and vice versa, without being hindered by traffic lights or cars. The Bike City of Enschede is encouraging cyclists to try out the newest section between Enschede station and Twekkelerveld via a campaign in the “Enschede Fietst” app and a distribution campaign in the streets. Users of the Enschede Bike City app get a chance to win a free lunch at Broodbode Kennispark by partaking in the F35 challenge! App users will have to ride the F35 at least 10 times throughout May in order to qualify for this prize. This campaign was made possible in part by MegaBITS.
Figure 2: Inauguration of the final section of the F35 cycle highway between Enschede station and Hengelo station, photo by Koos Mavrakis on behalf of the municipality of Enschede
Figure 3: Street sign in the City of Enschede celebrating the opening of the final section of the F35 cycle highway between Enschede station and Hengelo station.