Lessons from Bogotá
- From: ano457@xxxxxxxxx
- Date: 23 Oct 2005 13:30:07 -0700
World's Leading Urban Reformer Shares New Way to Build Cities
Former Mayor Enrique Peñalosa Brings "Bogotá Model" to Africa
Within three years, former Bogotá Mayor Enrique Peñalosa transformed
his city from a congested and dangerous mess, where many citizens did
not have access to transportation, into the world's leading model for
sustainable urban design. Now, on the Building a New City tour, Mr.
Peñalosa will share this inspirational story and describe how Africa's
leaders can follow "The Bogotá Model" for livable cities.
The two-week tour begins January 15 and will bring Peñalosa to four of
Africa's leading cities: Dakar, Senegal; Cape Town and Pretoria, South
Africa; and Accra, Ghana. Traffic congestion, inadequate public
transportation, poverty and poor access to jobs and services are
increasingly problematic in each city and local leaders have asked for
help in replicating Bogotá's success.
Former Bogotá Mayor
Enrique Peñalosa
"The people of Bogotá spent years hating their city," said Mr.
Peñalosa, who is currently a Visiting Scholar at New York University
and is writing a book on a new model of development for Third World
cities. "Now, the people of Bogotá feel proud and have hope that their
lives will continue to improve. This is the story we are bringing to
cities across the world."
Under Mr. Peñalosa's leadership from 1998-2000, innovative
transportation strategies such as a successful busway, bicycle paths
and restrictions on private car use were used to equalize all citizens'
access to mobility and began to relieve the traffic congestion and air
pollution that was choking Bogotá. His administration also built
parks, planted trees and promoted the use of public space.
"In Bogotá, we chose to build a city for people, not for automobiles,"
said Mr. Peñalosa. "Cities built for cars' mobility suffer from
congestion and unsafe street conditions and leave many residents with
poor access to jobs. Instead of these problems, we gave our citizens
enjoyable public spaces and unprecedented mobility."
Bogotá now boasts:
Latin America's largest network of bicycle ways,
150 miles long (250 km)
A world-class Bus Rapid Transit system
of dedicated bus lanes called TransMilenio
The world's longest pedestrian-only street,
spanning 10.2 miles (17 km); and hundreds of miles of sidewalks,
many through the city's poorest neighborhoods
The planet's biggest Car-Free Day,
during which private vehicles are not allowed
to enter the entire city of 135 square miles (35,000 hectares)
"Typically, when we judge a city's success we talk about skyscrapers,
superhighways and parking spaces," said Mr. Peñalosa. "The experience
of Bogotá shows that cities can prosper by focusing on a new model for
success, one that is centered on the needs and contentment of all the
city's residents , not just those that own a private car."
The Building a New City tour was organized by the Institute for
Transportation and Development Policy (ITDP), an organization dedicated
to improving mobility in developing nations and promoting sustainable
transportation policies worldwide. ITDP co-chairs the United Nations
Transport Caucus and is based in New York City.
The tour will help officials from Africa's leading cities build
momentum for improving public transit and providing more bicycle and
pedestrian corridors. The tour will also enable Mr. Peñalosa to work
with local planners and elected officials to devise strategies best
suited to each unique urban area.
"Sustainable transport is something we must develop in Senegal," said
Abdoulaye Wade, President of Senegal, who met with Mr. Peñalosa during
a trip to New York City in September of 2002. In addition to making
transportation a high priority in his inaugural agenda, President Wade
is responsible for implementation of the Transports, Energy and
Environment sectors for the New Partnership for African Development, a
coalition of African Heads of State.
"Accra's worsening traffic congestion is an issue of great concern to
the Ghanaian government," said Solomon Darko, Mayor of Accra. "We see
the development of a bus system as a critical component of an overall
sustainable transport strategy that would also include measures to
restrain motor vehicle traffic and promote non-motorized transport."
"Ten years ago, Bogotá suffered as Cape Town does , with heavy
traffic congestion, no rail, no formal bus system and no plan to
implement changes," said Former Cape Town Mayor and current City
official Frank van der Velde. "Today Bogotá has a Transport Authority
which has brought about a structured bus lane network, cycle ways,
pedestrian routes and beautiful public spaces, all resulting in a 40%
reduction in car trips, an 80% reduction in accidents and a 50%
reduction in pollution. Is this not what we want for this Cape Town?"
Already, ITDP and its local partners in Africa have advanced the
planning and construction of bus routes and bicycle networks, brought
modern and affordable new bicycles to a wider market and organized
transit workshops and bicycle events to improve access to jobs, schools
and health care.
"In African cities, traffic congestion and poor alternatives to private
motor vehicles preclude access to basic services," said Paul Steely
White, Africa Regional Director for the Institute for Transportation
and Development Policy. "Peñalosa brings a Southern success story that
resonates with African decision-makers who are facing tough choices
about the future of their cities."
Since the end of his mayoral term in December of 2000, Mr. Peñalosa
has traveled to Mexico City; Panama City; Lima, Peru; Guangzhou and
Hong Kong in China; Jakarta, Yogyakarta and Surabaya in Indonesia and
New Delhi in India. Many of these cities are now pursuing Bogotá-type
Bus Rapid Transit systems, bicycle and pedestrian paths and Car-Free
Days.
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