"I ride 43 kilometers every day," said Carlos Cantor from Bogotá, the capital of Colombia. "Five years ago, I swapped my car for a bicycle," said Tomás Fuenzalida, a resident of Santiago, the capital of Chile. Foreign media reports suggest that the situations of these two individuals coincidentally indicate that the "springtime" of bicycles as a solution to transportation issues in Latin America has arrived.
According to a report by Argentina’s Southern Cone website on December 23, based on a 2013 survey on urban bicycle usage by the Inter-American Development Bank, as the world’s second most urbanized region, bicycle usage in Latin America is growing rapidly. This report, grounded in civilian surveys, recorded that the proportion of people using bicycles as their main mode of transport in various Latin American countries varies widely from 0.4% to 10%.
Among the surveyed cities, Cochabamba in Bolivia leads the list with 10%. It is closely followed by La Paz (5%) and Asunción (5%), both capitals. These cities are emerging urban areas with populations ranging from 100,000 to 2 million.
Among major cities, Santiago in Chile and Mexico City in Mexico both have 3% of residents primarily using bicycles for transportation, followed by Buenos Aires in Argentina (2%) and Bogotá in Colombia (2%).
Among them, Bogotá is considered a “global model for promoting bicycle lane construction,” currently boasting 376 kilometers of segregated bicycle lanes and 120 kilometers of recreational bike paths, some of which are closed to motor vehicles on specific holidays.
Cantor, a 58-year-old social worker, shares his feelings about cycling: "It’s a very fast way to get around because you don’t have to deal with traffic jams, and on some stretches I can even enjoy the flowers, trees, and peaceful surroundings while riding."
According to statistics from Bogotá’s urban transport department, out of nearly 8 million residents, about 450,000 commute by bicycle, most of whom are workers and students. Recreational bike lanes were established in 1974, and every Sunday, millions of people take to the streets on their bikes.
"I often ride my bicycle on Sundays for exercise and leisure, but not usually during the week because many bike lanes are still incomplete, some intersect with motor vehicle lanes, which makes me a bit scared. Also, bike theft is a headache," said Carolina Mejía, a student in Bogotá.
Fuenzalida, a 44-year-old public relations expert in Santiago, switched from a car to a bicycle for health reasons. "Because this way I can get fit without spending an extra penny," he said. "And cycling puts me in a much better mood than squeezing into the subway."
Besides commuting, Fuenzalida also rides his bicycle to pick up his children from school, attend meetings, and visit relatives and friends.
The report states that to meet the needs of residents like Fuenzalida, the Santiago municipal government plans to expand the bicycle lane network to 933 kilometers. Currently, the city has 215 kilometers of bike lanes, and its satellite cities have an additional 130 kilometers.
"This plan will greatly boost bicycle usage, and both the city and its residents will benefit from reduced congestion as well as improvements in health and the environment," said Cecilia Pérez, Minister Secretary General of the Chilean Government.
Juan Antonio Pellegrini, governor of Santiago Metropolitan Region, stated that the plan is expected to be completed by 2022. In addition, connecting roads for existing bicycle lanes will be built, and a public bicycle program will be introduced to promote the use of this sustainable and healthy mode of transport in Santiago.
The report noted that the promotion of bicycles in Mexico City is also accelerating. "It’s been a relatively short process," said Javier Treviño, head of the Mexico office of the Institute for Transportation and Development Policy in the United States. "The biggest achievement is that cycling has become a viable travel option and is being widely promoted."
Mexico City’s "EcoBici" program is the main driving force behind bicycle commuting. Since its launch in 2010, it has attracted 87,000 users, with 4,000 "EcoBici" bicycles available at 275 stations along 22 kilometers of dedicated paths. Users of the system must register and pay an annual fee of about $31.
In addition, Mexico City currently has 90 kilometers of both segregated and non-segregated bicycle lanes. "Programs like EcoBici will continue, but infrastructure is still lacking. All major roads should be equipped with corresponding bicycle infrastructure," Treviño said.
The Inter-American Development Bank report pointed out that all 18 surveyed emerging cities and 8 major cities have permanent bicycle lanes, except for Asunción in Bolivia and Manizales in Colombia.
However, only Bogotá, Buenos Aires, Mexico City, Asunción, La Paz, and Montevideo have traffic regulations specifically addressing bicycle use.