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This is a beautiful exegesis on Bogota's "Ciclovia" weekly bike event. Grabar's point at the end of the story, about how sad it is that the public space disappears on Monday, is exactly the biggest problem with it. But there's more.
https://mastodon.social/@RealJournalism/113696791343930212
1. I don't think it could work in a city where most shops are open Sunday or where deliveries were done on Sunday. It relies on the traditional Sunday day of rest, which is not replicable in more vibrant economies.
1/2
@stevenbodzin@thepit.social2. It relies on cheap labor to set up and break down.
3. Like most of the great bike routes in Bogotá, it only attracts rich people because of the presence of cops carrying rifles. I know they are there for ME, but I can imagine a lot of people feel unwelcome.
Also, I disagree with his assessment of daily riding in Bogotá. It's better than he makes it sound. I find bike routes there much better than in NYC.
But anyway, go read! Grabar is great. https://slate.com/business/2024/12/ciclovia-open-streets-bogota-urbanism-success.html?via=rss
@stevenbodzin Have never been there. Probably will never go. Interesting article but your insights are spot on.
@Iragersh as you can see, I have a love/hate relationship with it. I think it's great but don't think it's replicable or an especially effective use of advocacy energy. Over these 50 years, Bogotá has become one of the most traffic choked cities on earth. In peak COVID they got up to an amazing mode share for bikes, well over 10%. That's thanks to ciclovía. But then things went mostly back. There's no subway and the rapid buses can sit in traffic for an hour.
https://bogota.gov.co/mi-ciudad/movilidad/el-uso-de-la-bicicleta-durante-la-pandemia
@stevenbodzin 'gate' . If I knew what you meant, then everyone else did too. 