When talking about sustainable transport, any government should build more bike ways in their respective states, for that, is ironic that, by concluding their administrations, leave less miles in these, that is exactly what will occur with bike ways in Monterrey.
In accordance with shared information by Cómo Vamos, Nuevo León, 4 mayors will end their office with less miles of bike ways that the ones they started with.
These municipal administrations started in 2021 and will end their period the next September 30th of 2024. In this time, removed many sections of Monterrey bike ways or worst, they were simply and easily abandoned until were completely useless.
The mentioned platform indicates that in 2022, metropolitan area of Monterrey had 56.4 miles, while for September of this year, reduced to 44.9 miles. Meaning, they lost 20 years of them in a couple years.
The organization Pueblo Bicicletero along with the initiative Cómo Vamos, Nuevo León have evaluated since the last August, the 44 miles of bike ways that reported municipal authorities.
Where were lose more miles of bike ways in Monterrey?
Reports indicate that in Apodaca, under the term of office of César Garza, in a beginning reported 6.8 miles, but ended with 1.6 miles.
In Escobedo, of Andrés Mijes, the report started with 9.9 miles and ended with 5.5 miles.
In Guadalupe, under the government of Cristina Díaz, passed from 8.8 miles to 4.7 miles, and yet the second case is more severe with Daniel Carrillo in San Nicolás, that passed from report 13.0 miles of bike ways in 2022, to just 1 mile in 2024. Finally, Juárez that heads Francisco Treviño, didn’t lost any mile of cycle path, but that is due in this city hall there are no bike ways.
We also have good news…
Even though the capital had a dramatic reduction of cycling lanes, also had some achievements that are important to highlight.
During the administration of Luis Donaldo Colosio, implemented the so called corredores verdes (green corridors) in Monterrey, achieving the increase of cycling infrastructure from 5.5 miles to 17.7 miles of bike way.
In San Pedro, under the government of mayor Miguel Treviño, passed from 11.1 miles to 12.3 miles with a little advance.
In García city hall with Carlos Guevara from an independent party too, where passed from 1 to 1.1 miles Lastly, in Santa Catarina with Jesús Nava, there was no cycling infrastructure, and now they have 1 kilometer.
Future hopes
It’s pretty sad that, that politicians are the first ones to be part of the sustainable movements, & a few of them perform efforts to get to work when passing from sayings to actions.
As we mentioned before, the installation of a bike way doesn’t finishes with its implementation and inauguration. The cycling infrastructure must be in constant monitoring and maintenance.
When simply and easily is placed this isn’t maintained, it has the risk of suffering damages on its channelization in special pavement. In the worst situation, the cycling part is reduced or just disappear, which is the same, is under so bad conditions, that even though continues there, its useless and dangerous for cyclists.
In the case of bike ways of Monterrey; it´s an opportunity for the following stewardship to repair the damages and support sustainable transport. According to the city hall that don’t have cycle paths yet, or they just initiated with them, it’s a moment to expand them and keep them safe.
