SEMOVI Bets on "Emerging Bike Lanes"

Mexico City Minister of Mobility (SEMOVI) is paving the way for bicycles to take on the city during the new normal. Recently, SEMOVI disclosed its plans for the "emerging bike lanes" that aim to grow the provisional bike infrastructure set in different avenues within the city to facilitate other mobility alternatives. 

"The document (regarding ‘emerging bike lanes) presents recommendations for cities interested in implementing the same actions and are aware of all the studies that need to be done prior, during and after their adaptation, always with the objective of providing safe public spaces for potential bikers to use these as transportation alternatives in their daily lives," said SEMOVI in a statement. 

On June 1, when the New Normal period began in Mexico, SEMOVI and Mexico City Minister of Public Works (SOBSE) implemented an "emerging bike lane" on Insurgentes avenue, one of the main arteries of the city that crosses it in a straight line from North to South. An additional emerging bike lane of 14 km will also be implemented alongside Metrobús Line 2. "With these actions, Mexico City government shows its commitment to provide a sustainable mobility alternative for people working in essential activities," SEMOVI said. 

Secondary objectives of these emerging bike lanes are to prevent crowds in Mexico City's public transportation system. The lane in Insurgentes avenue runs 54km parallel to Metrobús Line 1 in both directions. A few days after its inauguration, Mexico City's Chamber of Deputies approved with 17 votes to 1 to make the bike lane permanent while expanding the program to other avenues. 

Cities around the world are already transforming themselves. Delhi, Milan, Paris and Bogota have announced plans were the use of bicycle will be encouraged, taking into account the lower levels of pollution seen amid lockdown measures. 

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Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, SEMOVI had already implemented a short-term strategy to create "safe and secure infrastructure with universal access for walking and biking," according to SEMOVI's Strategic Plan for Mobility 2019. Mexico City currently has 194km of bicycle lanes and over 2020, another 40 km will be built.

Whether these new mobility options are here to stay or not, they will help to prevent contagion in public transportation, taking into account that the city has an accumulated of 38,871 COVID-19 cases and 5,042 deaths.