The Netherlands just put another $1.2 billion into its cycling infrastructure.
They aren't being generous, they're actually being cheap. National infrastructure projects of any size are legally required to undergo a cost-benefit analysis before they get built.
They ran the numbers on cycling and every dollar invested came back as roughly $8.90 in benefits: lives saved, healthcare costs avoided, quieter streets, cleaner air, less congestion. 6,500 fewer premature deaths a year, six more months of average life expectancy across the entire country.
A few years ago they were skeptical of a $17 million cycling bridge across the Maas River. They ran the analysis. The bridge was predicted to save $132 million over its lifetime, so they built it.
Most conversations about cycling infrastructure start with "how do we pay for it?" The Dutch conversation starts at "what's the cost-benefit ratio." That's the key difference.
The Netherlands isn't just subsidizing bicycles, it's refusing to waste money on the alternative.