2400 - How Citizens of Bucaramanga, a City with Non-Existent Bicycle Infrastructure in Colombia, Are Boosting Biking

Abstract

Background The metropolitan area of Bucaramanga has a population of over one million people. Today, Bucaramanga has no existing bike-ways, bike lanes, or bike paths. Bicycle infrastructure was expected to grow at a rate of 5 kilometers per year starting in 2016 to achieve the 20 kilometers goal by 2019, but this plan is already over two years behind schedule. The silver lining is that organizations such as Ciclaramanga, which consists entirely of part-time volunteers, have been positively impacting the development of a bicycle culture (Bicicultura) in the city. In Bucaramanga, almost every Sunday, streets close from 7:00am to 12:00pm for the Recreovia, which combines the most commonly known Ciclovia with activities such as classes and sports, to provide a safe and free space for recreation and exercise. Methods In 2017, Ciclaramanga hosted 11 Critical Mass bike rides, or Cicladas libres, spanning 137 kilometers of the city’s roads, with an average attendance of 300 people. For the Cicladas libres, the Sundays’ Recreovia, and other activities, Ciclaramanga rented out the bicycles of its 10-bicycle fleet over 600 times, making Ciclaramanga a self-sustaining and economically viable organization. For the first time in the city, Ciclaramanga hosted a Commuter Challenge between a bicycle, a vehicle, and a Metrolinea bus (Bucaramanga’s Bus Rapid Transit). Additionally, the first ever platform for bicycle culture in eastern Colombia, the Centro Bicicultural, developed a space dedicated to the empowerment, advancement, and enjoyment of bicyclists. Results Since 2015, there has been a total of 31 Cicladas libres. The bicycle rentals increased by 325% from 2016 to 2017. The results from the Commuter Challenge were as predictable as they were surprising: the bicycle performed better in terms of time, distance traveled, average speed, cost of trip, and CO2 emissions. While the government falls behind in advancing the Bicicultura, Ciclaramanga has reached over 17,000 followers on Facebook and Twitter. In 2018, Ciclaramanga started offering a Cultural Bicycle Tour through the main places of interest in Bucaramanga for locals and foreigners who wish to experience urban cycling in a new way. Conclusions With simple pedagogical exercises such as the Commuter Challenge, a clear message can be sent to citizens and authorities about the importance and necessity of consolidating a cycle-inclusive policy. The Centro Bicicultural will continue to serve as an attractive venue for bicyclists hosting cultural, recreational and didactic activities and services such as workshops, forums, and advice in urban cycling.