Europe is fascinating and inspiring to visit as it has so much to offer, and apparently, it is becoming a fantastic destination for biking enthusiasts as well.
Riding your bicycle regularly is one of the best ways to lower the risk of health problems linked to a sedentary lifestyle. It is a fun, cheap, and beneficial low-impact exercise that can be enjoyed by people of all ages. It is estimated that around one billion people ride bicycles daily – for transport, recreation, and sport.
Anyone interested in biking will adore the magnificent illuminated bike path in Poland, which unveils its mesmerizing bright blue glow at night.
Poland is the home to some of the most bike-friendly cities in the world. It is Poland’s objective to become an eco-friendly country so it induces bikes as the quintessential vehicle to travel.
This amazing biking path that glows blue during the entire night is in the rural town of Lidzbark Warminski and was designed by the European engineering company TPA sp. z o.o, to help prevent bicycle and pedestrian accidents.
The concept was inspired by Studio Roosegaarde’s Starry Night bike lane in the Netherlands, but the technology used is quite different, as the Dutch version uses LEDs, while the Polish one is entirely dependent upon solar power.
The special trail contains synthetic particles called luminophores. They absorb energy from the sun and then release it at night by emitting light for up to 10 hours.
According to TPA’s President Igor Ruttmar, the road can radiate throughout the whole night and re-accumulate light the next day.
Using 100% solar energy, it is environment-friendly, and as Ruttmar explained that they aim at keeping bicyclists and pedestrians safe at night, as accidents are common in Poland, especially in the areas farther from the cities that are darker and more invisible in the night.
The bright blue color of the lane was chosen to complement the surrounding lush scenery, the dark forest, and the river, the lakes, hills, and the countryside.
During the testing phase, only 328 feet of the bike path is illuminated at night, but they are hoping to expand the project afterward.
This idea has inspired a few other European countries as well, but they are seeking an environmentally friendly solution like this one.
For instance, in 2013, at Christ’s Pieces Park in Cambridge, England, a company named Pro-Teq Surfacing sprayed glow-in-the-dark coating called “Starpath” on 1,614 square feet of a path to illuminate it at night.
Sources:
moon-child.net
www.boredpanda.com
curiousmindmagazine.com