Bogotá's Bike Paths Network
Bogotá is the Colombian city with the most extensive and comprehensive network of bike paths. Bogotá’s bike paths network or Ciclorutas de Bogotá in Spanish, designed and built during the administration of Mayors Antanas Mockus, Enrique Peñalosa and Samuel Moreno, is also one of the most extensive in the world.[1]
The design of the network was made taking into consideration the morphology and topography of the city. This is, from north to south the city has a flat topography and from east to west the city has varying degrees of inclination.
A mesh concept was applied for the theoretical plan of the network because it presented greater versatility and adaptation given that the road network was designed as a grid plan with streets going from south to north and from east to west. The network was also integrated with the TransMilenio bus system which has bicycle parking facilities.
Network hierarchy
A network hierarchy was determined following the criteria above.
Main Network: connects the main centres of the city in a direct and expeditious manner, for instance connecting the main work and education centers with the most populated residential areas, and receiving the flow from secondary networks.
Secondary Network: leads riders to the main network, it connects housing centers and attraction centres and parks with the main network.
Complementary Network: links and provides continuity to the network. It consists of additional bike paths that are required to complete the mesh system and to distribute bicycle traffic on specific areas. It includes a recreational network, local networks and a system of long green areas.
Bike paths' impact on city life
Since the construction of the ciclorutas, bicycle use has quintupled in the city, and it is estimated that there are between 300,000 and 400,000 trips made daily in Bogotá by bicycle. A large portion of this use is in southern, poorer areas.
The ciclorrutas are an ongoing project. Many segments are still not connected to the main network. In some parts, they are placed on the sidewalk in a way that puts pedestrians and cyclists in competition.
Routes
| Route | Highway | Description | Length (km) |
|---|---|---|---|
| R2 | Norte-Quito-Sur | from Av. del Ferrocarril con Call 179 - Av. Ciudad de Quito - to Transversal 30 | 26.5 |
| R3 | Carrera 17 | from Los Héroes - Calle 26 - Av. Los Comuneros to Calle 27 Sur | 11.8 |
| R4 | Av. Constitución | from Calle 170 por el Canal Córdoba - Av. Constitución - Río Fucha - to Carrera 30 | 24.1 |
| R5 Tc. | Av. Boyacá | from Calle 80 to Av. El Dorado. | 4.2 |
| R5 | Av. Boyacá | from Av. El Dorado to Av. Villavicencio | 20.3 |
| R6 | Av. Las Villas | from Calle 170 - Carrera 66 - Diag. 126 - to Av. Ciudad de Cali | 7.6 |
| R7 | Carrera 19 | from Carrera 7ª por la calle 161- Carrera 19 - to la N.Q.S. | 12.4 |
| R8 | Av. Ciudad de Cali | from Calle 170 to Bosa | 21.8 |
| R9 | Av. Longitudinal de Occidente (ALO). | Torca Toll gate to Autopista del Sur. | 24.2 |
| R10 | Carrera 50 - Transversal 47 | from Calle 63 - Carrera 50 - Av. Américas - Transv. 47 - Transv. 44 to Bogotá river | 11.1 |
| R12 | Av. 13 Sur | from Av. 13 sur - Calle 54ª sur - Parque Barranquillita. | 11.2 |
| R13 | Av. Villavicencio | from Av. Ciudad de Cali to la Av. Caracas. | 10.2 |
| R14 | Av. San José | from Carrera 7ª to Av. Longitudinal de Occidente. | 10.1 |
| R15 | Calle 134 - Calle 138 | from Carrera 7ª to Autopista norte- Autopista Norte to Av. Las Villas. | 5.5 |
| R17 Tc. | Calle 80 | from Bogotá river to connect R17 | 1.8 |
| R17 | Calle 80 | from Los Héroes to Bogotá river | 10.3 |
| R18 Tc. | Calle 63 | from Carrera 13 to Av. Ciudad de Quito. | 1.9 |
| R18 | Calle 63 | from Av. Ciudad de Quito to Engativá | 12.4 |
| R19 Tc. | Calle 26 | from Carrera 5ª Universidad de los Andes to Av. Ciudad de Quito. | 3.8 |
| R19 | Avenida El Dorado | from Av. Ciudad de Quito to A.L.O | 8.7 |
| R20 | Canal Arzobispo - Diagonal 53. |
from Av. 7ª - Av. Ciudad de Quito - Canal del Arzobispo - Diag. 53 to Simón Bolívar Park | 5.2 |
| R22 Tc. | Avenida Jiménez | from Carrera 5ª to Av. Ciudad de Quito. | 2.9 |
| R22 | Calle 13 (Av. Centernario) | from Av. Ciudad de Quito to Bogotá river | 12.0 |
| R23 Tc | Calle 34. | from Carrera 7ª to Av. Ciudad de Quito. | 1.9 |
| R23 | Avenida de las Américas. | from Av. Ciudad de Quito to Bogotá river | 17.7 |
| R24 | Av. Los Comuneros | from San Victorino - to Av. de las Américas | 5.4 |
| R25 | Av. del Ferrocarril | from Av. Ciudad de Lima to Av. Ciudad de Villavicencio | 9.4 |
| R28 | Av. La Hortúa | from Carrera 7ª to Carrera 30. | 3.5 |
| R29 | Calle 27 Sur | from Carrera 7ª to Carrera 30. | 3.0 |
| Total | 300.9 | ||
See also
- Segregated cycle facilities
- Ciclovía
- Bogotravel tours: Bike rentals and Bike tours.
- World Carfree Network
References
- ↑ Woods, Sarah (2012). Colombia. Bradt Travel Guides. p. 123. ISBN 9781841623641.