Streetfilms Shortie: Cyclists on Rails in Zurich
One thing that impressed me during my three days in Zurich was I saw no cyclists crash while navigating the surface rails for the 15 tram lines that run all over the city. I was told by some there are certainly problems, and crashes happen, but I saw some real pro rail-riding behavior.
2:52 PM EDT on August 14, 2013
One thing that impressed me during my three days in Zurich was I saw no cyclists crash while navigating the surface rails for the 15 tram lines that run all over the city. I was told by some there are certainly problems, and crashes happen, but I saw some real pro rail-riding behavior.
One of my Zurich interview subjects, Nelson Carrasco, says the city is experimenting with rail treatments that will make bicycling on streets with rails much safer. Essentially, it seems they will be testing a material that is strong enough to support a bicycle but will yield to the weight when a tram runs over it.
Clarence Eckerson Jr. is the Director of Video Production for NYCSR's StreetFilms and producer of bikeTV. He loves the color purple, chocolate chip cookies, and enjoys walking, biking, and taking transit. He has never owned a driver's license.
Read More:
More from Streetsblog New York City
DOT’s Greenpoint Greenway Project Doesn’t Dream Big Enough
Greenpoint residents don't want the bike lanes from 2010.
April 1, 2026
Crash Victims, Lawmakers To Hochul: ‘We Have A Better Idea To Reform Car Insurance’
Lawmakers think that there are savings to be found in how insurers set car insurance rates, rather than litigation costs.
April 1, 2026
Wednesday’s Headlines: We 404’d The Times Edition
The Gray Lady dissed us, so we played a trick on her. Plus other news on this April Fool's Day.
April 1, 2026
PLAZA SWEET: Mamdani To Convert Streets Into Rome-Style ‘Piazzas,’ Starting in Paladino and Ariola’s Districts
"How could they object to bringing one of the best things about Italy to New York?" a city source told Streetsblog.
April 1, 2026
Council Members Form ‘DRIVE Caucus’ To Advocate for Cheaper and Easier Driving
Finally, car owners will have a counterweight to bike-lane and transit advocates.
April 1, 2026
Comments Are Temporarily Disabled
Streetsblog is in the process of migrating our commenting system. During this transition, commenting is temporarily unavailable.
Once the migration is complete, you will be able to log back in and will have full access to your comment history. We appreciate your patience and look forward to having you back in the conversation soon.