F. .

G
H.
I.

. .
AB .
C D. .
E

Desire Line Analysis

Bremerholm - Holmens Kanal , Copenhagen
Data
Desire Lines

Desire Line Analysis

Trajectories and Behaviour of Copenhagen Bicycle Users

at the Bremerholm/Holmens Canal intersection
Copenhagenize Design Co.
Trangravsvej 8
1436 Copenhagen K., Denmark
www.copenhagenize.eu

Cyclist Behaviour
Further Data & Observations
Copenhagenize Fixes

Mie Dyreberg Haldrup

Steve C. Montebello
Mikael Colville-Andersen
Clotilde Imbert

Date of observation
25 November 2014
Timeframe
8:15am - 9:15am

This Desire Line Analysis is part of a series of analyses performed by

Copenhagenize Design Company based on our Desire Line Analysis Tool.
It was led by designer & architect Steve C. Montebello and Mie Dyreberg
Haldrup, who studied geography and urban planning at Roskilde University.
CEO Mikael Colville-Andersen and Senior Urban Planner Clotilde Imbert
oversaw the project.

Table of Contents
Desire Lines Analysis
Bremerholm - Holmens Kanal, Copenhagen
Introduction
1. Percentage Breakdown

2. Desire Lines
Bremerholm - Holmens Kanal Intersection
Morning Rush Hour

3
4

3. Cyclist Behaviour
Morning Rush Hour Breakdown
from Bremerholm to Havnegade
from Holmens Kanal to Havnegade
from Holmens Kanal to Holmens Kanal
Detailed Observations
of cyclists waiting at Bremerholm
of cyclists waiting at Bremerholm performing Danish Left Turn

9
10

4. Further Data & Observations

Forms of Transportation
Cyclists Data
Vehicular Data
Pedestrian Data
Traffic per Traffic Light change

11
12
13
14
15

5. Copenhagenize Fixes

16

5
7
8

Introduction
Behaviour vs Design
Copenhagenize Design Companys latest Desire Line Analysis has a narrower focus than
previous studies. This time around we chose to study the behaviour and Desire Lines of
bicycle users during the morning rush hour at one section of an intersection in Copenhagen.
The intersection of Bremerholm / Holmens Canal / Havnegade on the southern edge of the
city centre.
With the massive numbers of bicycle users in the mornings in Copenhagen, bottlenecks occur
at a number of locations, particularly where many bicycle users need to turn left. This is
something that all of us at the company experience each morning so we decided to study it.
With this study we look at how bicycle users react to the design of infrastructure at one specific location, their behaviour and adherance to traffic laws and how they interact with other
traffic users, in particular cars. All in one tight, congested location.
We do so using Direct Observation and Revealed Preferences, as opposed to Declared
Preferences.
As always, Copenhagenize Design Company will explore how to improve conditions for bicycle users in the interest of improving flow, capacity and safety.
For more Desire Line Analyses, see: copenhagenize.eu/projects.html#desire

1. Percentage Breakdown
The Desire Line Analysis

We conducted this Desire Line Analysis over one hour on a chilly November morning in 2014.
The weather was dry, partly cloudy and the temperature was 6 degrees Celcius.
Bremerholm is a busy, one-way street through the heart of the Danish capital. The street has
bicycle infrastructure, but it disappears at the intersection because of priority placed on car
traffic. It really is a bizarre intersection for a city where the majority ride bicycles, walk or take
public transport. Large, right and left-turning vehicles should not be allowed anywhere near
constant masses of bicycle users. Nevertheless, we wanted to study how they interact at this
atypical location.
Furthermore, the classic - and legally-required - Copenhagen left turn is very much in play at
this location. Also known as the Box Turn, it involves a two-stage turn. There is not requirement to wait for the light to turn green - bicycle users are allowed to continue if there is no
traffic. With intense congestion, how do the bicycle users react?

An overview of the data gathered

71%
86%

of all traffic at the intersection in question were bicycle users

of the cyclists performing a left turn onto Havnegade from Holmens

Kanal perform the classic Copenhagen Left turn.

92.4%
1:3
1560

of the all bicycle users were Conformists - abiding by Danish traffic

laws. This number is consistent with our other studies in Copenhagen.

For every one motorised vehicle there were 3 bicycle users - 2.7 to be
exact.

Total number of bicycle users counted in this study during the hour.

2. Desire Lines
Bremerholm & Holmens Kanal Intersection

lm

ho

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em

Br

ns
e
lm

a
Kan

Ho

Havn
e

egad
0

10m

15m

2. Desire Lines
Bremerholm & Holmens Kanal Intersection
Morning Rush Hour

1,560 cyclists

A . 1.3%
B . 3.3%
C . 17.3%
D . 22.4%
E . 0.3%

- 20
- 52
- 270
- 350
-4

.4%
25 %
F . . 0.6 %
G 3.3 %
H . 26.0
I.

3%3% %
.
. 1 . 3. 7.3 .4%
A B .1 2 %
3
C D . 2 . 0.
E

F . 25.4%
G . 0.6%
H . 3.3%
I . 26.0%

- 396
- 10
- 52
- 406
4

3. Cyclist Behaviour

7%
A - 1.4.5%
B - 3.4%
C- 2 30.3%
D - 0.4%
E-

Desire Lines from Bremerholm to Havnegade

Morning Rush Hour Breakdown

A clear pattern of bicycle user behaviour emerges when there are cars on Bremerholm - compared
to when there are none. Cars present in the right-turn lane Holmens Kanal almost always ignored
the painted cycle lane and occupy the space. This leaves no space for the bicycle users coming
down Bremerholm and results in the creation of two desire lines, namely Desire Lines A and D.
When the space is occupied by a car, bicycle users find a way to get ahead of it.
Line A i s created when cyclists want to turn right onto Holmens Kanal.
Finding no space, they cycle onto the sidewalk.
On Line D - when they want to continue straight on - bicycle users
maneuver around the car by passing it on the left, which leaves them
sandwiched between two vechicles.

53%

of the bicycle users heading from Bremerholm to Havnegade are forced onto Desire
Lines A and D due to the large amount of vehicles. They are reluctant Momentuists.

Due to the heavy amount of traffic, many bicycle users tend to use the sidewalk (Desire Line A and
C1 ). This is aggravated when there are cars on the street, as the bicycle users manoeuvre their
way ahead of the vehicle. We see a clear pattern of bicycle users wanting to be ahead of the cars,
which then results in an extremely congested pedestrian crossing.
Its very clear to see how the bicycle users stay parallel to the sidewalk when they have the space,
on Line C. Bicycle users only occupy Desire Line D and E due to congestion.
Our observations reveal that there were 223 bicycle users cycling parallel to the sidewalk while
heading straight on to Havnegade, C2 all of them Conformists.
15 of the people cycling parallel to the sidewalk mount the sidewalk when they get up front, ie. Line
C1 . This is due to the fact that they want to be ahead of other bicycle users and vehicles waiting for
the green light at the pedestrian crossing.

23%

of the total bicycle users coming from Bremerholm to Havnegade are Conformists,
staying parallel to the sidewalk before continuing onto Havnegade and creating
Desire Line C2 .

3. Cyclist Behaviour

7%
A - 1.4.5%
B - 3.4%
C- 2 30.3%
D - 0.4%
E-

Desire Lines from Bremerholm to Havnegade

Morning Rush Hour

5.1%

of the bicycle users from Bremerholm contnuing onto

Havnegade, use the sidewalk at the intersection, putting
them ahead of the bicycle users waiting at the lights and
creating Desire Line C1.

As we have described, we see a tendency for bicycle users to use the sidewalk due to the lack of
space, but out of the 696 cyclists coming down Bremerholm only 52 cyclists cycle on the sidewalk
when performing a right turn towards Holmens Kanal, A1, or going straight on towards Havne gade, A2.

27.8%

of bicycle users coming down Bremerholm and turning right onto Holmens
Kanal use the sidewalk instead of the road in order to get to either Holmens
Kanal, A1, or Havnegade, A2.

350 out of the 696 bicycle users chose to wait on the left side of the cars in
the right turn lane, creating Desire Line D . This is legal according to Danish
law.

56%

of bicycle users coming down Bremerholm and continuing

onto Havnegade stay on the left side of the cars on Desire
Line D.

Only four bicycle users use the centre car lane, due to lack of space, creating Desire Line E.

0.6%

of bicycle users coming from Bremerholm and continuing onto Havnegade

use the centre car lane on Desire Line E, due to lack of space. Illegal according
to Danish law.

3. Cyclist Behaviour
Desire Lines from Holmens Kanal to Havnegade
Morning Rush Hour
F . 25.4%
G . 0.6%
H . 3.3%

One of the most interesting observations is how many bicycle users

abide - as best they can - by Danish law regarding turning left, using
Desire Line F - 396 bicycle users out of 458 in all.

86.5%

of the bicycle users turning onto Havnegade perform

the proper Copenhagen Left, when turning Desire Line F.

Only 10 out of 458 bicycle users turn left like a car - which is illegal Desire Line G, and when they do so, it is only when the traffic lights are
amber, or have just turned red. They are very keen on checking for any
incoming traffic before following this line and expediting this maneuver.

2.2%

of the bicycle users coming from Holmens Kanal carry

out a car left (G).

Some cyclists choose another path to maintain their momentum and get through the intersection as
quickly as possible when turning left onto Havnegade and creating Desire Line H.
They do what we call the snake; crossing the pedestrian crossing at Holmens Kanal and then
crossing at Havnegade - leading them onto the direction of Havnegade. 52 out of 458 cyclists
coming from Holmens Kanal chose to do the snake.
Twenty of them got off their bike and walked it over the pedestrian crossing while the remaining
twelve stayed on their bike and rode across the pedestrian crossing.

11.3%

of the cyclists coming from Holmens Kanal turning left, choose to perform the
snake turn, Desire Line H.

3. Cyclist Behaviour
Desire Lines from Holmens Kanal to Holmens Kanal
Morning Rush Hour

I . 26.0%

Bicycle users continuing straight on down Holmens Kanal were also noted, creating Desire Line I.

47%

of the total bicycle users heading straight down

Holmens kanal continue straight on along Desire
Line I.

3. Cyclist Behaviour
Detailed Observations
of bicycle users waiting at Bremerholm

Momentumists
1. Behaviour with vehicle on right turn

2. Behaviour with no vehicle on right

Right-turning vehicles on Bremerholm are eager to occupy the curb. This forces bicycle users that
want to continue straight on down Havnegade to maneuver themselves around the cars, creating
Desire Lines C, D and E. We also saw bicycle users who didnt feel safe in this situation using the
sidewalk, creating Desire Line A.
When a vehicle is present, bicycle users wait far
more forward, often continuing into the pedestrian crossing and sometimes into the space for
left-turning bicycle users. This leads to congestion, blocking the way for all users but show that
it is a wish for feeling safe.

That being said, when there is no vehicle on the

right hand turn, we see bicycle users abiding by
the law, staying close to the pavement and
behind the pedestrian crossing - namely on Line
B for cyclists turning right and C for cyclists
heading straight down Holmens Kanal.

1.

2.

A separated cycle track is needed to administer the vehicular and bicycle traffic. Providing enough
space for bicycle users to remain in the cycle track both when cycling and when waiting for the traffic
lights to turn green. This will mean that there will then be enough space for the waiting cyclists that
are performing the Copenhagen Left from Holmens kanal.

3. Cyclist Behaviour
Detailed Observations
of cyclists waiting at Bremerholm performing Danish Left turn

5
4

2 1

3. Behavioural Scenario, waiting next to each other 4. Behavioural Scenario, waiting behind each other

We analysed how bicycle users performing the Copenhagen Left wait for the traffic lights. It became
clear that how bicycle users wait at the intersection does not depend on the amount of bicycle users
but rather on how the first few bicycle users arriving at the spot position themselves.
If the first few people position themselves far
ahead of the pedestrian crossing, the following
bicycle users line up next to them. Those who
arrive first always place themselves as close as
possible to the sidewalk, in order to leave enough
room for other bicycle users. This behaviour fills
up the length of Bremerholm rather quickly, even
when there arent many people waiting.

Here we see the initial bicycle users place themselves just in front of the pedestrian crossing.
Those who follow, follow their lead, occupying the
space behind the first movers. The first to arrive
will still be considerate and place themselves as
close as possible to the sidewalk in order to
create space.

3.

4.

When left-turning bicycle users from Bremerholm start to occupy the space (as described in Scenario
1) the situation in Scenario 3 and 4 is aggravated. The bicycle users coming from Holmens Kanal
always position themselves ahead of the cyclists waiting on Bremerholm and, when there is a large
group waiting, they occupy the entire length of Bremerholm, blocking the way for all users.

10

4. Further Data & Observations

Analysis of Bremerholm & Holmens Kanal Intersection
The different forms of Transportation

Pedestrians
9.0%

Vehicles
19.7%

Bicycle
Users
71.2%

11

4. Further Data & Observations

Breakdown of Cyclists Data

Yes
23.7%
Pedestrians

Wearing
Safety Gear

No
76.3%

Reflective Vests
6.2%

Pedestrians

Type of
Safety Gear
(The average
helmet wearing
rate when we
observe over
12 hours is 17%.
There is a slight
increase in rush
hour)

Helmets
93.8%

12

4. Further Data & Observations

Breakdown of Vehicular Data
Mopeds
1.4%
Trucks
35.2%

Vehicle
Types

Cars
63.5%

Left onto
Holmens
Kanal
22.4%
Right on
Holmens
Kanal
30.4%

Direction of
Travel

Straight
onto Havnegade
47.3%

13

4. Further Data & Observations

Breakdown of Pedestrian Data
South-west
Going East
26.1%

Direction of
Travel
(at Bremerholm)

North-east
Going West
73.9%

14

4. Further Data & Observations

Analysis of Users per traffic light change
In the one hour that we observed the intersection, the traffic lights at Bremerholm turned green 46
times, and each remained green for approximately 26 seconds. We counted the number of cyclists
and vehicles leaving the intersection in each of these cycles and visualised the data, below.
In the morning rush hour, 1154 bicycles and 432 vehicles passed to their desired directions. This
allowed us to calculate an average amount of bicycles and vehicles per traffic light turn.
25.08 cyclists per green light
09.39 motorised vehicles per green light
Users
40

20

08:15

08:45

09:15
Time

15

5. Copenhagenize Fixes

S
BU

Suggested Fixes at Intersection

BU
S

BU

16

5. Copenhagenize Fixes
Suggested Interventions at Intersection
After analysing the current infrastructure at Bremerholm, it became obvious that a redesign is badly
needed. One that prioritises the majority of the users - in this case, the bicycle users. This is simply
the most democratic approach, when you consider that for every vehicle there are approximately
three bicycles. Here are the Copenhagenize Fixes.
The Separated Cycle Track
Right turn lanes for motor vehicles have no place in a truly liveable city.

BU

If, however, they persist at this location then a separated cycle track
should extend to the intersection, with the stop line for cars pulled back
5 metres. This will reduce the battle for space and create space. Adding
a blue painted indicator lane in a southerly direction would be wise, as
well.
Bicycle users have expectations from the design elsewhere in the city.
Having a rogue intersection where the design is substandard does little
to encourage good behaviour.
Merging the Straight and the Left Turn Vehicular Lane

BU

In order to create space for the bicycle infrastructure, the left-tun lane
can be integrated with the lane continuing straight on. Only 22.4% of the
vehicular traffic turns left.

S
BU

S
BU
BU

This merged vehicular lane separates further on, providing easy passage for those vehicles heading straight to Havnegade, and providing a
haven for vehicles wanting to turn left further along the intersection.

S
BU

Regarding cyclists doing a Copenhagen Left

From our analysis it is clear that most bicycle users - 86.5% - coming from Holmens Kanal use the
Copenhagen Left. The major problem that was present was the lack of space for the amount of
cyclists doing this left turn. This was provided by pulling back the car lane at Bremerholm and increasing the space for the waiting bicycle users coming down Bremerholm.

17