Similarly, Auckland's proposed cycle network includes a number of cycle highways and connections: http://transportblog.co.nz/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Region...

And they don't just support cycling as a way to get around in town: Many roads between villages/cities have dedicated, separated and wide bike paths going parallel to them, which makes cycling great even for longer commutes.

The pictures in that article don't really give a sense for how bicycle-friendly that city is. I went there for a conference last September, and the fact that there were bikes and bike lanes everywhere as well as more bike parking at every train station than you can imagine really stuck with me.

That and the lack of worry about theft. At a coffee shop and going to the bathroom? Just leave your laptop, wallet, and cell phone on the table. I couldn't physically do that if I tried, after growing up in Chicago.

Fellow Chicagoan. Could not imagine doing that. Happy to know there are still places like that in the world though.