What Tempe bicycle advocates can learn from the Dutch: lessons from one of the world's most bicycle friendly cities

The city of Groningen in the Netherlands is often referred to as the "world cycling city" because over fifty percent of trips are made on bicycles (Van Hoven & Elzinga, 2009). On the contrary, just four percent of trips in Tempe, Arizona are on bicycles (McKenzie, 2014). Through a series of interviews and surveys, this study investigates what causes such high bicycling rates in Groningen and applies these findings to Tempe. The results suggest that Groningen experiences high bicycling rates because the city uses "carrot" and "stick" policies to encourage bicycling and discourage driving. It is therefore recommended that Tempe adopt both types of policies to raise bicycling levels.