In Saltillo, Coahuila, the collected money of fines for parking in bikeway, is for the maintenance of cycling lanes.
The above was proposed by Alejandro Dávila Forex, former rector of Universidad Autónoma de Coahuila (UAdeC) (Autonomous University of Coahuila).
The proposal, besides being fair, results flashing and feasible. The administration of José María Fraustro this year has collected between 1.4 & 1.8 million of pesos in fines for parking in bike ways.
The intention is using this money to recondition the cycling exclusive spaces.
The payment of more than 300 traffic offenses must be useful to the permanent restoration and conditioning of surface and other components. This design of the road is for the circulation of non-motorized vehicles, commented Dávila.
The also researcher professor of Centro de Investigaciones Socioeconómicas (Center of Socioeconomical research) detailed that 24 of the 31 miles of cycling infrastructure are in bad conditions.
Nothing has been done
According to the original plan of the Instituto Municipal de Planeación (Municipal Institute of Planning), that was creating 126 miles of cycle paths; the academic emphasized that the “in the last four years, nothing has been done, and also, everything indicates that municipal government wants to consider a network amplification, the maintenance of the cycle lanes enabled in 2020”.
Meaning, instead of construct more than 124 planned miles, would be considering as “new construction” to give them maintenance.
Now, of course is not bad to provide them maintenance, it’s a constant action that must be included in the projects of cycling infrastructure. However, this budget, don’t have to affect the extension of it.
From there, the importance that the collected money of fines for parking in bikeways exclusively, is intended to their maintenance. This considers resurfacing, set cycling devices, and others. Everything without the need of taking from the destined money to create more lanes.
Lack of support, proper initiative
The former rector of the UadeC, detailed, of one’s own accord, the installation of pavement markers to delineate the cycling lane. Currently, set 2,500 of these devices.
Likewise, indicated they are bout to finish the placement of 32 blocks of neoprene, also known as channelizers.
All these tools help to maintain separated the vehicle transit from cyclists.
Thanks to these actions, the initiative of Davila has protected to 4.9 miles of the 9.1 miles of the bike way oriente-poniente. This section goes from the equestrian statues of Francisco I. Madero to the Francisco Coss boulevard. All the support has been thanks to the citizens. With their work, they set the mentioned pavement markers, work that municipal government must perform.
The fine for parking in bikeways, does it work or not?
The economic sanction to motorists due invading bikeway, must work to don’t repeat this violation again. Even though, of course, it’s an action that depend of them.
Answering the question if the fine for parking in bikeway is useful or not to provide them maintenance…
According to the media Vanguardia, so far in 2024, the sub command of transit has applicated 330 tickets to motorists for parking or invade the bikeway. In accordance with the municipal transit regulations, the fines for this violation are from 4342.80 to 5428.50 pesos.
The same portal indicated that with support of citizens, they acquired and set 1,800 pavement markers, an investment of 137,181.8 pesos.
If the collected money by fines goes from 1.4 to 1.8 million of pesos, then is totally feasible to use it to maintain the cycle path.
Besides, it isn’t feasible only, but is totally logic and coherent that an economic resource obtained from a public good, in this case the bikeway, is for the maintenance of these and the right to circulation through sustainable transport.
