Implementations
Cycle paths in Argentina
As part of a traffic and transportation reorganization plan in the city of Buenos Aires, a project to implement a Road Network for Cyclists was developed.
Bicycle circulation studies have been carried out, both in the form of surveys and circulation censuses, taking into account many factors (start and destination, reason, mass transportation centers such as railway stations, shopping centers, housing and work, etc.).
The premise was also to locate these roads on streets with low vehicular flow, both public transport and individuals within the possibilities.
They have been carried out despite the fact that the premises set forth from the beginning of construction were not fully met.
As a first stage, the network is being built, creating circuits that link points of high concentration of people to the administrative center of the city, that is, the railway terminals such as Once, Retiro, Constitución "Estación Constitución (Roca)") and Federico Lacroze where many people arrive with their bicycle from locations far from the Federal Capital to move around in their own non-motorized vehicle.
The possibility of the bike as a means of tourist travel was also taken into account and for this purpose a circuit was established that from the historic center (San Telmo neighborhood "San Telmo (Buenos Aires)") towards the south, crossing Lezama Park, heading to the heart of La Boca to find the famous Caminito street surrounded by tango and artists from Buenos Aires, without forgetting as a point of visit the Boca Juniors Stadium and the Vuelta de Rocha in the Port.
In the north of the city from Retiro another road begins towards the Monumental Stadium, crossing the Palermo Forests, also being used for recreational or tourist reasons.
As of April 2019, the bicycle lane network in Buenos Aires reaches 230 kilometers and it is expected that by the end of 2019 it will reach all the city's neighborhoods with 250 km.
This would represent an increase in the health and well-being of the city's citizens and residents because regular use of bicycles has numerous health benefits.
The arrival to power of Jorge Macri in December 2023 represented the end of the network's expansion. After expressing his opposition to the bike lanes on numerous occasions,[17] he began removing them during the early hours of December 10, 2024.[18].
The City of Córdoba "Ciudad de Córdoba (Argentina)") also has a network of cycle paths or bike paths,[19] stimulating the use of the bicycle as a fast, ecological, healthy and economical means of transportation. For this purpose, a series of bike paths have been built, which are intended to be united in a network of integrated bike paths, which are located on streets that connect certain strategic points in the city.
Some of the areas that have bike paths are: the Nueva Córdoba neighborhood, the downtown area, H. Yrigoyen avenues "Avenida Hipólito Yrigoyen (Córdoba)"), Poeta Lugones, Valparaíso, Bv. Chacabuco, among others.[20]
With this, it is expected to exceed 200km of cycle paths built.
At the same time, it has a free bicycle rental system, which requires prior registration with the corresponding government agencies.[21].
Rosario "Rosario (Argentina)") is the first city in Argentina to implement a permanent recreational circuit, free of cars and motorcycles, called Calle Recreativa. A massive alternative for coexistence, meeting, recreation, healthy living and physical activity for all citizens.
This project is part of the "United Recreational Cycle Route Network of the Americas",[22] an initiative carried out by several cities on the American continent promoting a healthier lifestyle.[23].
In other cities in the country, one or two bike lanes have been built, where there is more space, not an interconnected network.
Cycle routes in Colombia
In Colombia, exclusive bicycle lanes are known as cyclorrutas[3][24] when they are on a sidewalk, park or avenue, or bicicarriles when a lane is taken from a vehicular road that is permanently adapted for the exclusive use of bicycles. In Bogotá, the name “cyclovía” is given to a practice introduced in 1975 that consists of the temporary closure of lanes on the main avenues of the city during weekends to provide people with recreational and sports spaces that are used mainly for bicycle transportation.
The “cycle routes” system in Bogotá has become a serious transportation alternative for many bicycle users in the city, who have a safe and fast space. Currently, made up of more than 127 km built by the Administration, the system is extended in the form of a network throughout the city and zoned by future cycle stations that will provide complementary functions that support and reinforce mobility for runners. The IDRD (District Institute of Recreation and Sports) is in charge of providing this service to the people of Bogotá, as it directs all the activities that take place on Sundays and holidays from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. and on special occasions it carries out Night Cycles. The IDRD also has bicycles that it lends to institutional groups. There are also places in the La Candelaria neighborhood that rent bicycles and do guided tours.
In Cúcuta there is a small infrastructure for the movement of people on bicycles and skates. All the platforms that are located on the main avenues and streets of the city have a ramp for bicycles and skates, and are also wide enough to allow their circulation. On Sundays from 6:00 a.m. to noon, Libertadores Avenue (the most important in the city) is closed to make way for the cycle path, which is mixed with different sports activities.
In Popayán the cycle path constitutes a narrow road with a layout completely independent of the layout of the vehicular road. This extends from the city center at the San José University Hospital, north to the Bello Horizonte neighborhood.
In Medellín there is an exclusive bidirectional lane circuit for bicycles 2 m wide in the flat area of the central-west of the city, mainly along Carreras 65 and 70 and around the Atanasio Girardot Sports Unit. In addition, 33 km of public roads are used, which are closed to other vehicles and used as a cycle path on Sundays and holidays from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. m. to 1 p.m. m. and on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 8 to 10 p.m. m.. The longest section, 14 km, allows you to cycle along the eastern lane of the Vía Paralela from the Solla sector in Bello and continues through the north of Medellín to Calle 12 Sur on the Autopista Sur. For the safety of cyclists and pedestrians, the routes have support personnel from the INDER (Institute of Sports and Recreation), the Medellín Transit Secretariat and the Aburrá Valley Metropolitan Police. In addition, since 1993 the “Por Medellín en Bicicleta” event has been held annually, in which in 2010 some 14,000 cyclists of all ages participated, traveling 35 kilometers along the main roads of the city.
Cycle paths in Chile
In Chile, bicycle lanes have been overcrowded in the last century. The most common types are those segregated and marked next to the road, on central dividers, or on the shoulder.
Since 2005 in Greater Concepción there are cycle paths that cross the main arteries and sectors of cities such as Concepción "Concepción (Chile)"), Hualpén, Talcahuano, Coronel "Coronel (Chile)"), Chiguayante and San Pedro de la Paz.
In 2006, a "recreational cycle path" was created called the cyclorecreovía, an activity that takes place every Sunday of the year from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., closing streets for motorized vehicles and enabling them for the free movement of cyclists, skaters, runners, skateboarders, etc.
Currently this activity is carried out in La Reina, Las Condes, San Joaquín "San Joaquín (Chile)") and the Metropolitan Park of the Metropolitan Region, in addition to the communes of Concepción "Concepción (Chile)") and San Pedro de la Paz in the Biobío Region.
In the different regions, there are various road projects that include the construction of bicycle lanes, of which the construction of Costanera Avenue in Antofagasta stands out, which will have one of the longest bicycle lanes in the country,[25] with an extension of 13 km.
In 2013, after several studies, the project for the construction of the Cicloparque Mapocho 42K was approved, a cycle path on the banks of the Mapocho River, the main tributary that crosses the center of the city of Santiago, joining it from east to west in a 42-kilometer route that will have green areas and will link eight communes and several parks.[26].
In 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, several communes, including Las Condes, began to implement temporary bike lanes whose objective was to encourage sustainable mobility and help reduce crowds on public transportation.[27].
Cycle paths in Ecuador
In Ecuador, different initiatives have been developed for several years to increase the use of bicycles. Currently, the city of Quito is the city with the largest network of bicycle lanes nationwide. The cities of Cuenca "Cuenca (Ecuador)") and Guayaquil have also joined these initiatives in previous years. To unite and improve these efforts, the Ministry of Transportation and Public Works created the National Cycle Path Plan in December 2012[28] with the support of the municipalities of Babahoyo, Ibarra "Ibarra (Ecuador)"), Lago Agrio, Manta "Manta (Ecuador)"), Pedernales, Quevedo "Quevedo (Ecuador)") and Riobamba.
quite National.
In 2012, with the start of operations of the BiciQ system, there was a great expansion of the Ciclovías network; on the following avenues: Av. de la Prensa, Av. Gerónimo Carrión, Av. Diego de Almagro, Av. Luis Cordero, Av. Antonio de Ulloa, Av. Veracruz, Av. Atahualpa, Blvd. Unidas and Av. Mariana de Jesús.
Quito also has recreational bike paths in the Southern Linear Parks, El Ejido Park, La Alameda Park, La Carolina Park, Itchimbía Park, Guanguiltagüa Metropolitan Park, Bicentenario Park and the Chaquiñan de Cumbayá-Tumbaco, which is a 28-kilometer ecological trail created on an abandoned railway line.
In 2012, the Mayor's Office of Quito implemented a public bicycle rental system called "BiciQ". The system consists of 425 bicycles of a unique design, distributed in 25 stations, strategically located in places close to the points of greatest influx, attraction or commercial, banking, tourist or student interest. To access the system, users must register on the BiciQ.gob website and sign a good use contract and are granted a user card, which is used to use the bicycles from 7 in the morning to 7 at night all year round (except January 1).
The perimeter of application of the system is in the so-called "Hypercenter" between the historic center and the "La Y" sector to the north and it is being studied to expand the system to the South to be implemented in 2014. Each bicycle can be used for one hour and must be delivered to any station - the average distance between stations is 10 minutes - if the user has already completed that time and has not reached their destination, they must wait 10 minutes before being able to access the system again.
The Ciclopaseo de Quito is an initiative started by Ciclopolis, a local organization to promote urban cycling and now managed by the mayor's office through the Metropolitan Transit Agency. A 30 km route running from the North to the South of the city is closed to traffic every Sunday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. m. to 2 p.m. m. to give preference to cyclists and pedestrians.[29] The project is carried out in cooperation with the Metropolitan Government of Quito and has various locations in the city such as La Carolina Park, Ejido Park, the historic center of Quito, Río Amazonas Avenue "Avenida Río Amazonas (Quito)"), and El Panecillo.[30].
Bike lane in Spain
In Spain, practically all major cities have a wide network of bike lanes due to the great demand that exists, which is increasing. More and more Spaniards use bicycles as a means of transportation. The term most used in Spain to designate the route intended for bicycle transport is the bicycle lane, although the term cycle route is also used. Among the most notable bike lanes is the Albacete-Ribera del Júcar Bike Lane, 25 km long.
The cycle path or bike lane (most used in Spain) is declared a public area to circulate alone and preferably by bicycle. Its use is mainly for adults, but the Government of Spain decided to restore the current regulations on the bike lane in 2009, introducing by absolute majority (decided in May 2009, in the European Parliament) the appearance of children over 12 years of age (alone or accompanied).
In the autonomous community of the Basque Country, these roads are called "Bidegorri", which means "Red road", and refers to the color of the soil of the bike path itself.
Bike paths in Mexico
Three cycle path circuits have been built in the capital of the Mexican Republic. A circuit runs on the right of way of the Mexico–Cuernavaca railroad and goes from Avenida Ejercito Nacional in Polanco to the town Fierro del Toro in the State of Morelos with a total distance of 59 kilometers. The second circuit was inaugurated at the Chapultepec Forest facilities and runs through the three sections of this national park. And a third circuit runs from the Bosque de Chapultepec to the Zócalo of Mexico City along Paseo de la Reforma avenue. Additionally, in the Azcapotzalco delegation - north of the city, an old Ferronales road was redesigned as a 4.5 km cycle path.
In the capital of the State of Jalisco, the successful idea of bicycle lanes has also been implemented, although to a lesser extent and with a shorter length than that in Mexico City. Until December 2016, there were 12 defined routes.
On this cycle path you can see the flora and fauna of the region such as crocodiles and it runs from the hotel zone in Ixtapa to the coast.
In Tulancingo they have this type of road, the latter crossing through the cities of Tulancingo, Santiago Tulantepec and Cuautepec de Hinojosa.
Ciclovía in Peru
Currently, the provinces of Lima and Callao have 294.35 kilometers of bicycle lanes.
The first bicycle lane in Lima was inaugurated in 1989. It extended along the route of the Pan-American Highway, from the current bridge that crosses Benavides Avenue to the vicinity of the city center. However, this cycle path disappeared over the years.
Years later, the permanent bike lane on Arequipa Avenue was built. Then, the Salaverry Avenue cycle path was inaugurated. As the years passed, other large bike lanes were built: those on Universitaria, Colonial and Tomás Valle avenues, and other bike lanes.
Ciclovía in Venezuela
Venezuela implemented its first 14 kilometers of bicycle lane in the Caracas municipality of Chacao in mid-2004, with the aim of improving the social, environmental and economic conditions of the inhabitants of the municipality and its passers-by, and developing a more efficient, economical, non-polluting and healthy transportation system for the user, following the successful experiences in other cities in Europe and America.
However, due to the failure to build special bike lanes at first, and the subsequent lack of maintenance on the blue paint that demarcated the bike lanes on the streets, the bike lanes disappeared completely.
On Sunday mornings, they close part of some avenues to cars to reserve their use for cyclists, walkers and others: Cota Mil in both directions and part of Río de Janeiro Avenue in the Las Mercedes urbanization.