Bogota, Columbia has been undergoing urban transformation for more than a decade. A combination of vision, citizen support for changes and the city’s investment in new infrastructure has made this possible. In Bogota the automobile no longer dominates, and bicycles and public transit have right of way.
None of this change was a foregone conclusion. Columbia has a history of economic crisis and violence, making it an unlikely candidate for urban transformation. Like people elsewhere, the citizens of Bogota love their cars, and have regarded bicycles and public transit as second-class solutions for getting to work.
Observers of the city’s renewal agree that two political figures account for its renaissance. Under the mayoralty of Antanas Mockus a culture of citizenship was promoted, along with an appreciation for the public realm, urban ecology and social progress. The subsequent mayor, Enrique Penalosa, invested heavily in infrastructure projects to improve urban mobility.
Urban Development Is Not Just Spatial
Writing about Bogota’s transformation, Ricardo Montezuma has stressed that change of this magnitude is underpinned by more than smart planning principles and design. The citizens of Bogota had to be convinced of the need for renewal and to contribute to the dialogue. Mayor Mockus’ genius was in engaging the whole city in conversation.
Some of the highlights of the Mockus mayoralty included public participation in educational group games. For instance, in a game that pitted pedestrians against automobile drivers, people were distributed cards; red on one side, white on the other, mimicking soccer matches where coloured cards are used to show approval or disapproval of actions. Citizens could indicate their displeasure with irresponsible drivers by showing the appropriate card.
The Educate the City program under Mockus also promoted mass initiatives to encourage proper payment of taxes; funds raised helped pay for infrastructure improvements. At a time when urban planning elsewhere was focused on enabling suburban growth and major highways, Mockus galvanized citizen support for the creation of a more urbane urban environment.
Financing the Vision for Urban Transformation
With the foundation created by Mockus between 1995 and 1997, Penalosa’s administration set about funding large public work projects. The new administration financed its public space and transportation projects with increased revenues from taxes and by substantially reducing the percentage of revenue used for operating costs. The national government chipped in with 52 percent of the funding required for the city’s Transmilenio bus system.
Accomplishments during Penalosa’s tenure include:
- The pico y place program that reduces traffic congestion by prohibiting cars with certain numbered licence plates from travelling twice a week.
- Construction of a world-class bicycle network of paths and parking facilities, plus bicycle-only times on designated roadways; Aaron Naparstek has examined Bogota’s bike-oriented transit system at Streetsblog.
- Creation of the Transmilenio rapid bus network which enjoys dedicated rights of way on roadways.
- Improvements to the public realm, including sidewalks and parks, with car parking restrictions enforced to enhance pedestrian safety and comfort.
Visitors to Bogota are amazed by its multi-modal transit system, especially the provisions made for cyclists. From a financial perspective, it makes perfect sense: commuters are encouraged to use pedal power to travel from their homes to the city’s bus terminals. There, they park their bikes securely before boarding buses that take them to their work destinations. For every 25 people who bike to a terminal, one feeder bus can be retired and there is less congestion and pollution on the roads.
Bogota’s lesson for urban areas is easily discerned: if a city with its problems can transform its urban landscape, there are no excuses for cities in the developed world.
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