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Moscow to fight traffic jams with bicycles

At present Moscow has 18 kilometers of cycle lanes mostly in various parks

MOSCOW, November 18 (Itar-Tass) —— The Moscow government plans to build 119 kilometers of bicycle lanes in the city in five years and hopes up to six percent of residents or nearly 700 thousand people will bike from home to nearby subway stations and back instead of losing time in traffic jams.

The Rossiyskaya Gazeta Nedelya weekly said on Friday the Moscow government will consider the issue in November and plans to build 84 kilometers of cycle lanes in 2012.

“Bicycles will ease the way from home to the subway station as roads are jammed with cars,” transport department spokesman Alexander Onosovsky told the weekly adding bikeways will also link subway stations on different lines as well.

The city government plans to launch five cycling areas and most lanes will run in the sleeping quarters of the city. However Onosovsky said a lane is also planned along the Boulevard Belt Road which circles downtown Moscow.

Bike parkings will also have to be provided and the 2016 target figure is sufficient for 17 thousand bicycles.

At present Moscow has 18 kilometers of cycle lanes mostly in various parks.