ABSTRACT
This chapter examines the politics of planning for velo-mobility in the auto-mobile city. It then focuses on three key case studies outlining the diverse kinds of political struggles that characterize debates around cycling infrastructure. The first of these concerns classic battles over cycling in Amsterdam, Netherlands, which has since made that city an international beacon for enlightened velo-mobile policy making. The second case study involves the implementation of bike lanes on a major bridge in Vancouver, Canada, a city with a "green" reputation yet where even minor reforms have been often met with rabid reactions from local politicians. The final case study concerns one of the most contested and scrutinized cities in the developed world, New York City, where a number of battles have been fought simultaneously, and with some unexpected recent success. The chapter also discusses how political barriers preventing the implementation of new cycling infrastructure were overcome.
