Berlin has reported a record rise in cyclist fatalities in 2020, with 14 cyclist fatalities to date despite a drop in the typical drop in traffic due to the global corona-virus pandemic, and around 14 miles of new pop-up protected bicycle lanes. Germany’s capital has seen more than double the number of cyclist related fatalities in 2020 as compared to the six fatalities recorded in 2019, as reported by The Guardian.

The unexpected rise in cyclist fatalities reported in Berlin shows that cycle and pedestrians facilities need to be well designed, even if implemented through tactical urbanism, otherwise there’s a risk of adverse impacts on safety, public dissatisfaction, and such initiatives generating adverse publicity.