Skip to content

Reflections of a working writer and reader

 

 

Cycle Paths – cooled and shaded

john baker, June 14th, 2008. One comment. Filed under politics, quotations.

From an article in Washcycle:
cooling with ground water

I bike along the NE Branch Trail which, for large sections, is completely devoid of tree cover. In the summer it can get quite stifling (among other problems) so naturally I got jealous when I found out about Qatar’s planned cooled bike path. It has a shaded canopy and misters.
Dubai is also developing a bike plan and they may use the same bike path plan.
Knowing a little bit about how the Sheik of Dubai gets things done, it will probably be the “best bike path system in the world.” I hope he takes such pride in it.
Tree cover is far better in my opinion, and this seems excessive; but after biking around Phoenix all last summer I can see how in a hot, dry climate it’s probably necessary (though not here in DC).

Fortunately, when you’ve got a pannier full of oil money, 115 degree daytime temperatures are no big deal. The Emir hired the Rand Corporation and Rand proposed a 30 kilometer shaded, solar-powered, mist-cooled bike path. The Emir gave the green light and with no cumbersome democratic processes to get in the way the project sailed through to approval.

Share

One Response to “Cycle Paths – cooled and shaded”

  1. Kudzu Fire says:
    14th June 2008 at 11:11 pm

    Well I hope they enjoy all that oil money we in the west pay them with in good health–as long they don’t give any to terrorists, I am cool with their bikes or whatever