The Mexico City it wants to become a world-class cycling city, but before that it must pay off its safety and infrastructure debts to its own cyclists. According to data from the latest Origin and Destination survey (Inegi, 2017), 340,000 cyclists transit frequently in the Mexican capital, but not all say they feel they have sufficient security and infrastructure guarantees.
During the presentation of the Sports Council of Mexico City, on February 1, 2022, the director of the Sports Institute (Indeporte), Javier Hidalgo, pointed out together with the director of the National Commission of Physical Culture and Sports (Conade ), Ana Gabriela Guevara, the objective that the capital obtains the label of “Town cyclist“by the International Cycling Union (UCI). Guevara promised to be “the bridge” with said international organization to manage the certification, but did not mention times or forms.
The label of “cycling city” (Bike City Label) was established by the UCI in 2015 and has the mission to “support and reward cities and regions that not only host major UCI cycling events, but also invest in the development of the cycling community and infrastructure and related programs.” It is a decoration for the towns that develop cycling both at the elite level of high performance and in leisure activities and means of transport.
So far there are 20 cities in the world that have achieved this certification and none is in Latin America, since only Vancouver (Canada) and Fayetteville (United States) are found on the American continent. Other nations that have already received it are Belgium, the Netherlands, Denmark, Australia, France, Austria, Great Britain, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, Italy and Norway.
In interview with The EconomistJavier Hidalgo assures that the Mexico City “From this year (2022) it could already have that certification, it is already mature to be certified as ‘City of the bicycle'”, although he does not know when the exact moment will be when Conade will carry out the management with the UCI.
“The sooner, the better, because we have every possibility. It is a management that the director of Conade is going to carry out, but we have all the strength to carry it out: public policies, infrastructure, social development; all. That can also help us for tourism, for example, a lot of European tourism that can tour the city by bicycle can help us for the economy and also with sporting events. This certification has a very good impact”, abounds the director of the insport.
To receive the label, the UCI asks for two pillars as a requirement: the first is the organization of cycling events belonging to the UCI and the second contains eight points ranging from a clear and long-term cycling strategy, dedicated financing, risk reduction for cyclists, improvement of infrastructure and training for children. The general objective is “to promote and achieve safe cycling for all”.
To meet these requirements, the Mexico City plan, through Indeporte and the head of government, consists of two lines: events and infrastructure growth. In the first, Javier Hidalgo points out that they have already approved two international competitions (both road cycling): one of Gran Fondo, which consists of 165 kilometers on the second floors and roads of the city, as well as a stage of the Tour de France of 120 kilometers, which will take place on the third weekend of November.
Regarding infrastructure, he explains that from 2018 to 2021 the city has received 200 kilometers of bike path, thanks to the support of the head of government of Mexico City, Claudia Sheinbaum. That adds to another 200 kilometers that had been built from 2004 to 2018, although the goal is to reach a total of 600 by the end of Sheinbaum’s term in 2024.
Hidalgo mentions to this newspaper that each kilometer of Bikeway It costs around two million pesos, which would result in an investment of 800 million pesos so far. However, the importance is beyond money, highlights the manager.
“The cycling infrastructure is cheap, what you invest, in contrast to the amount, is nothing, because it really is just the spacers. It is more about giving cyclists their place, it is an existential issue (…) In three years what had been done from 2004 to 2018 has been doubled because it has been decided to do so and hence the importance of a bike lane like the one in Insurgentes , which may cost the same as another but its value is 1,000 times more because it is in the backbone of the city”.
Among other improvements, the construction of a velodrome in Iztapalapa, development areas in Xochimilco, Tláhuac and Azcapotzalco stand out, as well as the growth of cyclists on Sunday rides in Reforma, which went from 50,000 before the pandemic to an average between 90,000 and 100,000. nowadays. Regarding the works, Hidalgo mentions that they have been possible thanks to the fact that the budget for other types of transport that are not private cars has gone from representing 15% to 85% as of 2018.
—What guarantees does Mexico City offer to the UCI to receive certification?
—“For this certification and the accompaniment with its objectives, all the guarantees that it requires, we are in all the possibilities of what is requested because we are acting in the same sense as them. The concept is no longer to go only to where there are sports, but that our city is our field and the bicycle is the one that allows you the most, because it facilitates mobility, whether it is for a walk or competition”, says the director of Indeporte.
Cyclists continue to feel unsafe in CDMX
The cyclists of Mexico City recognize that the city has changed in terms of infrastructure in the last 25 years, going from being mocked even by officials to a present with 400 kilometers of bike lanes. However, they still do not feel full in terms of security guarantees.
“There have been very important efforts, but from the point of view of the activists they are still insufficient. The quality of the infrastructure is not the best or optimal, we are seeing very important shortcomings in terms of road safety that have to come hand in hand, not only must there be infrastructure for a direct road, but also a safe one, something that we still do not see . We have seen a setback in terms of road safety, instead of each time you feel that the traffic is calmer and there is more respect and more civility, it is the other way around and thus it will be very difficult to have this certification”, he explains to this newspaper, Areli Carreón, founder of the civil association Bicitekas and cycling activist for 25 years.
According to data from the Mobility secretaryin the first quarter of 2021 there were four times more deaths of cyclists in road accidents compared to 2019, going from two to eight, representing 6% of deaths in that period.
“We have continued to see fatal crashes of cyclists and every time these cases come up, people feel that bicycles are something that they are not willing to try because they are afraid of suffering such a mishap. In general it has always been a challenge, for decades in the country it was considered that accidents could not be prevented, that it was something random and bad luck, it is through the years and very systematic work that we now know that it is possible prevent nine out of 10 road accidents, that what we need is first to have a law that establishes with total clarity and in a scientific manner what we already know saves lives and then a whole management of the governments so that these laws are not kept and really change behaviors”, says the activist.
According to data from Inegi (2017), 2.2% of daily trips in Mexico City are made by bicycle and after the pandemic there was a rebound in users in cycle paths such as the Insurgentes, which reached 220% more compared to 2019. That is why Areli Carreón, like other activists, are part of the Safe Mobility Coalition (which brings together 70 organizations of all kinds) to promote the General Mobility and Security Law, which would be the first in terms of road safety in the country and which was already approved in December in the Senate. They are now awaiting approval in the Chamber of Deputies before April 30.
Another point against the UCI certification, details the activist, is that the cycling infrastructure has stagnated in certain parts of the city such as Reforma, the historic center or Chapultepec, leaving out the outskirts and other regions that also have transportation. everyday by bike. In addition, those that exist have not been made with the best quality, according to her analysis.
—How would you rate the current cycling infrastructure from 1 to 10?
“I think we are still at a five. Despite the great efforts, I consider that the quality still leaves much to be desired in all areas, in terms of security, connectivity, democratization, in ensuring that this infrastructure reaches where it is most needed (…) The infrastructure has to be direct, comfortable, safe, connected and of course be in conditions of good signaling, some infrastructures that we have seen have badly placed drains or potholes that when it rains they hide in puddles of water and that is potentially a deadly trap.”
