My name is Kevin Ero, I'm a fourth-year Civil Engineering student studying at OSU. My primary area of focus is infrastructure materials, and I'm planning on pursuing a master's degree in the fall. I hoped to join this program because it provides a great opportunity to experience a new environment while gaining experience with sustainability that can be applied in the US. My main goals for this trip are to gain experience with sustainability that can be applied to future work in the US and explore fresh and exciting European cultures. 

Cycling in the Netherlands appears very different compared to the US. Bicycles are more commonly accepted as a method to get from A to B rather than using cars to get everywhere. Additionally, there is a much greater focus on safety and the dangers that cars can pose to children and cyclists on the roads. Both of these factors have led the Dutch to have more of a focus on cycles and pedestrians when it comes to their infrastructure, as opposed to the US which mainly focuses on cars. The videos often bring attention to cyclists in the US competing with traffic while the Dutch have the two working much more harmoniously. I'm very much looking forward to comparing my experiences in Europe and the States.

Delft is an absurdly beautiful city, and is wholly unlike anything I have seen in the US. The architecture is a breathtaking combination of styles that combine new and old aesthetics seamlessly. The canals and waterways give the city an identity that cannot be replicated anywhere else. Delft is also super accommodating to bikes and public transportation, making it so that even the most densely populated districts have a peaceful and welcoming atmosphere. I can't wait to see what else is in store for this trip!

Chapter 6 of City Cycling is a fascinating overview of cycling infrastructure in the Netherlands, and how cities such as Portland and New York are taking steps to incorporate similar designs into their streets. The chapter outlines many different types of bike lanes, such as contra flow lanes that act as a one-way for cars while allowing bikes to travel both ways. One of the most interesting points of the book is America's insistence on having bikes and cars share the same roadway. This has been shown to seriously discourage bike usage, as areas with bike specific lanes have been shown to have a six-fold increase in bike usage. With any luck more areas in the US incorporate these more bike friendly policies

Delft is an interesting case study when looking at sustainable transportation infrastructure. The city utilizes various technologies and policies to ensure a safe and sustainable transportation network. A crucial part of this strategy is the use of unsignalized intersections to help guide the flow of traffic. These intersections are very important as they safely help manage travel without the need for complicated signal networks. 

There are many different kinds of unmarked intersections that can be found in the Netherlands. Most of these intersections focus on pedestrian and bicycle traffic, although this is not universally the case. The Dutch use many different techniques to control traffic, including raised crossings and pathways that discourage cars and other larger vehicles, cobblestone roadways that, and road signs and markings designed to direct. The most interesting example of an unsignaled intersection that can be seen in use all over the globe is a roundabout.

Despite the surface similarities, the roundabouts found in the Netherlands are quite different from their American counterparts. Delft’s focus on bike and pedestrian usage allows for a more integrated design that encourages sustainable mobility. These intersections not only include a lane for cars and other vehicles, but an additional outer lane for bicycles and pedestrians. This allows for safer travel through these intersections and encourages more bicycle usage in cities. 

The Voorhof-hoogbouw intersection is a great example of how Dutch roundabouts passively control the flow of pedestrians, personal vehicles, and public transportation. The roundabout is roughly 85m in width, with an outer ring for pedestrians, an inner bicycle lane that is roughly 75m,  and finally a 55m lane for vehicle travel. Each entry is marked with yield signals that safely allow for traffic to flow into the roundabout. Pedro Espino and I observed the intersection for roughly 15 minutes, and we observed no major conflict in the incoming and outgoing traffic flow. This design heavily encourages sustainable mobility while maintaining safety and efficiency, and would be a great addition to the US transportation network.  

For the free weekend, two friends and I decided to visit the historic city of Paris. The city was breathtaking from start to finish, with perfect weather all throughout the day. We started our adventure by missing our bus due to a train delay, but we were back on track after ordering extra tickets.  After getting to our hotel and passing out for the night, we started the day with a scenic view from the top of the basilica. Afterward, we visited the Arc de Triumph before heading toward the Eiffel Tower for some daytime photos. We then took a guided bike tour around Paris that included a boat ride with wine and ended with visiting the Eiffel Tower at night. Sunday we visited the Chapel of Saint Louis before boarding a high-speed train and heading back to Delft. Overall this weekend was an unforgettable experience, and I hope to visit the city again one day and explore all the places we didn't get to visit.

The city of The Hague boasts a unique form of infrastructure that effectively combines multiple modes of transportation, including cars, trucks, and, more notably, the interaction between bicyclists and pedestrians. One particular street that caught the attention of my partner, Pedro, and me was Grote Markstraat. Initially catering primarily to cars, it has undergone recent transformations with the installation of pavers to discourage motorist usage, consequently providing pedestrians and cyclists with increased space for seamless movement. By utilizing Google Maps, we discovered that this road measures approximately 18 meters in width, with 11 meters specifically allocated for bikes, while the entire street can be utilized by pedestrians. Although other vehicles can also traverse this area, the design emphasizes heavy pedestrian and bicycle usage, discouraging through traffic.

Likewise, numerous shopping centers in the Netherlands employ a similar approach by creating shared spaces for pedestrians and cyclists. The careful placement and selection of different types of pavers help delineate distinct paths. While occasional conflicts may arise in such settings, pedestrians typically stay to the right when walking in either direction and look for clear opportunities to cross the road. Additionally, due to the ample width of the bike path, if a pedestrian obstructs a cyclist's path, the cyclist can easily maneuver to avoid colliding with the pedestrian.

Our final design project was to redesign a street in Corvallis using what we learned on our trip. My group and I decided to redesign the 9th Street section from Garfield Ave to Circle Blv. After taking a look at the traffic incident data we decided to reduce traffic flow ad encourage other means of transportation along the street. The first step was to come up with a better name since 9th Street seemed a bit bland when compared to the roads that intersect with it. We ultimately decided to rename the street "Dutch Way" in honor of our visit to the Netherlands. For our redesign, we removed the median turning lane and added two-way bike lanes on each side of the road. This street also has a number of bus stops on both sides of the street, so the outer travel lane was converted to an HOV (High Occupancy Vehicle) lane for buses and other vehicles. Circle and 9th was redesigned as a roundabout to reduce traffic flow and the risk of injury. These changes all culminate in a more restricted vehicle flow that encourages the use of bikes and buses. 

I've had an absolute blast this entire trip!! From staying up over 36 hours the first day and biking over 22 miles to seeing the beautiful windmills and rivers of Kinderdijk, these past weeks have felt like a once in a lifetime experience. I've never been to mainland Europe before and seeing the differences and similarities to the states has been incredible. It really puts into perspective how much work America still needs in our infrastructure. Bringing even a fraction of the rail and bike infrastructure we saw in the Netherlands to Oregon would massively improve the average quality of life.  We also learned invaluable lessons on advocacy and how to work with governments and voters to actually implement these changes. Overall this journey has been a 10/10 experience. I'm incredibly grateful for this opportunity and I hope that others can get the chance to explore this incredible place!!