Much has been said about New York City Department of Transportation (DOT) Commissioner Janette Sadik-Khan, both positive and not so positive. She has brought her green sensibility to a city that has notoriously bucked the worldwide green trend. It is evident everywhere from the potted plants that line the middle of the Flat Iron district near Madison Park at 24th Street to the bike lanes near the Apple store in the meatpacking district. Eventually she wants to make Times Square a hospitable pedestrian zone.

We have read that Ms. Sadik-Khan has studied cities around the world and settled on Copenhagen as the example for New York City to emulate. I would counter that the better example would be Amsterdam. Copenhagen is a small backwater town and so lovely as it is doesn’t have one third the traffic, congestion or mayhem that a typical New York City street does. Yet Amsterdam does!

On any corner you will find yourself bombarded with the drrrrng drrrrrng dinging of cyclists (who rule the road there), moped drivers, motorcyclists, trams, buses, cars, baby buggies, pedestrians with and without dogs, unicyclists and a parade of other vehicles that are home-made. The panoply of activity in every direction demands some extraordinary city planning. Because Holland and by default Amsterdam, is the most densely populated country in Europe every square meter of space is accounted for and used.

Practically every side street is littered with chairs spilling out of the cafes and restaurants paying tribute to what little sun there is. Many a shopping area is pedestrian only (typical throughout Europe for the past thirty or so years). From the Singel Flower Market to the area around Dam Square, small mews and squares adorned with crocuses and tulips beautify the cityscape. Mini islands between thoroughfares are dotted with parking spaces, trees and flowers and herring stalls with just enough space to linger or sit and chow down on fresh raw herring or fried cod sandwiches.

Amsterdam compares to New York in it’s bustling confluence of people and vehicles. With tram tracks that criss-cross cobblestoned streets, bike lanes that cross every major street and trams that whiz by when you least expect it, maybe our DOT Commmissioner can take a lesson from the Dutch. Would that be asking too much?