For bike-friendly communities that have harsh winters, riding bikes becomes nearly impossible in winter months because the paths freeze over. De Telegraaf reports that the Dutch province of Utrecht and the town of Zutphen are both considering heated bike paths so they won’t need to be cleared of snow and ice.

According to DVICE, the lanes will feature asphalt collectors 150ft beneath the surface. This form of passive temperature regulation not only warms the paths in the winter but also cools them in the summer. The high cost of embedding these collectors is $40,000-$70,000 per mile. However, there would then be no need to plow or salt the paths. If the heated bike lines are a success, they could spread across the country.

De Telegraaf

Photos by will_cyclist