Cycling as a catalyst for livability
In 2018, the City of Düsseldorf invited Gehl to conduct a Cycling Health Check — a targeted mobility subservice aimed at evaluating and enhancing the city’s cycling conditions. With a political ambition to position cycling as a central tool for improving urban livability, the city sought high-level input from Gehl to turn ambition into action.
Gehl’s approach combined on-ground observation with collaborative engagement. The team visited Düsseldorf to experience the city’s cycling environment first-hand and assessed the current infrastructure, street conditions, and rider experience. The goal was to understand how cycling functioned in the city and where it could be improved to support more vibrant, human-scale mobility.
A key component of the work was facilitating five strategic workshops, bringing together a diverse group of stakeholders; including city staff, urban mobility experts, politicians, and police officers. Working across sectors allowed for open dialogue and practical collaboration on shared challenges and goals. Key topics addressed included cycling infrastructure, communication and marketing strategies, and car parking — often one of the most contested aspects of urban space.
The Cycling Health Check proved to be a cost-effective, highly valued engagement process — providing actionable reflections that supported Düsseldorf’s goal of becoming a more cycle-friendly, livable city.
