Amsterdam gets creative with thousands of new underwater bike parking spots

The Netherlands is no stranger to getting innovative to find space. With a history of creative urban planning, Amsterdam has opened two new bicycle parking facilities. But they're not built on or under the ground, but underwater.

Both new garages hold a combined 11,000 bike parking spaces. The Dutch Minister of Infrastructure, Vivianne Heijnen, was at the launch of the new facility near Amsterdam Centraal Station.

"What they have done very cleverly here is, build bicycle sheds underwater. Fortunately, we in the Netherlands have a lot of knowledge and expertise when it comes to water and we also make it possible to build in areas where you have a lot of water, such as underwater, which makes for optimal use of the space that you have in a small country like the Netherlands" she said.

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The facilities are stacked with double-tiered bike racks, not uncommon in the country. Conveniently, both parking facilities are near transport hubs, where an estimated 30% of commuters arrive in Amsterdam with their bicycles.

Cycling is a symbol of Dutch culture, there are nearly a million bicycles in the capital alone and over 600,000 trips are made via bike every day.

Watch the video in the player above.