Amsterdam just built a massive underwater parking garage for 7,000 bicycles

Some cities take cycling infrastructure seriously and then there are cities such as Amsterdam, which make it a top priority and continue to move the bar for other jurisdictions around the world. Case in point, its massive new bike parking facility is set to open to the public with a big celebration this weekend. Yes, a bike parking party.

Amsterdam is set to open two new bicycle parking areas, built under water, which can accommodate around 11,000 bicycles. And it is incredible.

Largest bicycle parking in the city Stationsplein bicycle parking is built under the Open Havenfront – the water between the Prins Hendrikkade and the so-called Stationseiland – and can store 7000 bicycles, according to the city of Amsterdam. It is the largest bicycle parking facility in the city. The underground parking facility is connected to the metro hall and Amsterdam Central Station, so travelers will soon be able to walk dry and without detours to and from public transport.

But that’s not all. There is a second such facility opening next month at the back of the station on the IJboulevard for 4000 bicycles. Check out the time lapse below of the four-year construction.

“We will celebrate this on Saturday January 28, as well as the 6000 m² boulevard that is now there, with a beautiful view over the water,” read a statement from the city.

The city’s plan is the remove bicycle racks from the area and have everyone park at one of four area parking facilites.

“Without bicycle racks, the street is easier to keep clean, it is tidy, well-arranged and safe,” read the city statement. “The opening of the new parking facilities marks the beginning of a new era, in which Amsterdam Central will be a bit like around 1900 again. Accessible and pleasant, without cars and bicycles parked everywhere and nowhere.”

An entrance to bike parking garage

Amsterdam has had a problem cities around the world would love — so many cyclists the infrastrucutre couldn’t keep up.There are more than 800,000 bicycles in the city, and less than 800,000 people. And more than a third of all trips are taken by bicycle, to the tune of more than 600,000 each day. So, the city decided to construct the massive bike parking shed under the basin in front of central station to replace the surface-level parking facility that had become a overcrowded eyesore.

“Central station is one of the busiest places in Amsterdam,” Amsterdam municipality’s bike project manager, Pieter Visser, told the Guardian. “A lot of bikers use this precious public space to bike and park. The municipality chose to facilitate underground bike parking (in this case, underwater) to return the public space to pedestrians, tourists and people with disabilities.”

It took four years and upwards of $65 million to create the parking area by first putting dams at the entries to the basin, draining the area and constructing the garage then flowing the water back overtop of the parking garage again.

Glistening interior of parking facility for 7,000 bikes

“The public space around the station is also looking great again, after years of nuisance and work. A lot of work,” read the statement. “For example, scaffolding and bridges have been renewed, wider footpaths and cycle paths have been created, tram tracks and stops have been replaced, and many underground cables and pipes have been installed.”

Bicycle parking is free for the first 24 hours.

Celebrations on Satureday include guided tours, rides on a historic tram, boat trips around the Stationseiland, Songs of the Amsterdam Smartlap Choir, and puppet shows with Jan Klaassen and Katrijn.