To great applause, Bogota gets its annual car free day, but banish any images of a pastoral day of cyclists, walkers, roller-bladers and dog walkers taking over the streets, Thursday February 3 2011 is only set up to prohibit the passage and transit of privately owned vehicles on the capital’s overwhelmingly congested road network.
In theory the Car Free Day is an attempt to clear the city’s air of harmful pollutants, create greater mobility and get Bogotanos out of their cherished vehicles. The reality is starkly contrasting and by removing the privately owned vehicles from the roads, this experiment has served to highlight some major flaws in the fluidity and communication in the city.
Bogota Needs a Traffic Overhaul
Geographically, Bogota is in a bind. Bordered on the easternmost edge by mountains, a vast percentage of businesses, residences and the seat of Government are all found bordering this geographical formation. This, in turn is already an impediment to transport mobility in the city since there are few notable access points to get downtown. Most people needing to make the journey North and South in Bogota stick to the Carrera 7, the Avenida Caracas and the Autopista. This is principally because there are few options and these roads then have very few places in which to turn or that connect to the other main arteries in the city. Hence, traffic is left concentrating and stagnated almost permanently in these key spots.
Of course, when Bogota was a smaller city, these traffic issues were not a problem, but with the city’s exponential growth, migration, both forced and voluntary, to the city, has created a population and therefore traffic explosion.
Taxis and Buses Abound in Bogota
With more than 50,000 taxis, possibly nearer to 54,000 taxis if reports in the national newspaper El Tiempo are to be believed, on the streets, today represents a sea of yellow. Then, include the 20,000 odd buses of all shapes and sizes that also ply their trade here and you already have more than 70,000 vehicles on the roads. While many of the fleet of yellow taxis may run on gas, the vast majority of buses run on low grade fuel therefore billowing out noxious fumes liberally.
And, as many observers and visitors to the city have noted, there appears to be one law for taxi and bus drivers and another for the rest of the population. Neither taxis nor buses are seemingly held accountable for speeding, weaving their way through traffic without indicating, running red lights and of course stopping wherever they see fit.
Politicians, diplomats and then armed escorts make up the remainder of the cars found taking full advantage of the day. Suffice to say, Car Free Day has not made travelling by bicycle in Bogota any easier.
What about Bogota’s Bike Lanes?
Much is made of Bogota’s 120km of bike lanes, more than in any other South American city and one of the highest figures in the world. But, talk to any cyclist here and they will tell tales of blocked lanes, vendors taking up residence here, cars parked on top and an aggression to all of those on two wheeled transport. The Car Free Day is far from being the Sunday Ciclovia, where a vast percentage of principal routes in the city are given over to recreational activities and principally to cyclists.
And the Transmilenio?
Currently undergoing a major expansion that is terrifyingly behind schedule, Bogota’s fleet of bendy buses known as the Transmilenio is far from the solution to the transport conundrum here. Lines are congested, roads are poorly maintained and its maps are not user friendly. These buses also run on low grade fuel and so, any efforts to make this a greener more environmentally aware city with the introduction of the Transmilenio have fallen at the first.
Is there a Metro system in Bogota?
Talks continue, but Bogota and her citizens continue to look enviously at the metro in Medellin.
Conclusions from Bogota’s Car Free Day
Overall, there has been a general feeling of wellbeing in Bogota as citizens here are pleased that local politicians have pulled together to pull Bogotanos from their cars and put them into alternative forms of transport. Inevitably there will be press releases coming out of the Mayor’s Office lauding efforts and marveling out how much the pollution was reduced.
But, with a more level view, Bogotanos would be wise to look beyond the frivolities of such a day and start campaigning for new traffic, pollution and transportation initiatives. If anything, Bogota’s car free day has served to highlight what needs to be done. 2011 is an election year for the position of Mayor in Bogota; perhaps the candidates are taking note.
Richard McColl - I am a freelance writer from deepest darkest London but for the past 10 years or so I have been maintaining my extended "writing break" in ...
