The increase in the bike use involves (or at least, it should) the construction of more cycling infrastructure, as demonstrates the next and new bikeway in Chile, the one that will transform into the largest one of the countries. This project arises thanks to increase of Chilean cyclists in the past years. For that, it will look an exclusive space that provide safer and ample journeys.
That’s the reason future bikeway in Chile will have the necessary planning for cyclists to circulate harmoniously and without complications. After all, now there are more of them on the streets.
How much people circulates by bike in Chile?
In accordance with César Garrido, spokesperson of (Furiosos Ciclistas) Furious Cyclists, only in the Metropolitan region exists 550 thousand cyclists that use bike as a mean of transport, whether is for work, school or just for leisure.
Besides, according with Euromonitor, the 53.3% of Chilean homes have at least a bike. In the same way, Ministry of Transport and Telecommunications of the country detailed that over 20% of daily journeys in main cities are performed by bike.
With the previous information, it must be valid to mention that Chile needs a cyclepath that ease routes of all users.
Where the new bikeway in Chile will be located?
Due number of cyclists increased in Metropolitan Area, in this zone will be the construction of the new bikeway in Chile.
The name will be Metropolitan Bikeway (in Spanish, Ciclovía Metropolitana) and is part of the New Boulevard Plan (in Spanish, Nueva Alameda) that has as a purpose the renewal of Main Road of Santiago.
And just like that, this will cover the main road of Santiago over 4.9 miles along median of Boulevard. Bikeway will connect Pajaritos with Baquedano, and even more important it will connect directly with 10 existing bikeways in Chilean Capital. In this way, it will comply with one of the greatest purposes of any cycling infrastructure which is interconnection.
How will be conformed and what will be the measure?
As we mentioned before, the intention of the new bikeway in Chile is to provide safety and comfort to cyclists.
Thus, unidirectional lanes will cover every side of median between Parque Santiago Bueras in Lo Prado and Miraflores street in Santiago, with a 4.9 and 5.9 ft width.
In respect of bidirectional sections that will install between Miraflores and Vicuña Mackenna, the lane will have a width of 7.2 and 8.2 ft in the North side of median. In this way, they will freely circulate without any worries of crashing against other cyclist due will be enough space for this to don’t occur, even if coming in opposite directions.
With this and even though the main section will be of 4.9 miles along the new lanes and the other cycle paths that will interconnect and will have cycling infrastructure of 27.3 miles in total.
The construction of the new bikeway in Chile will start in February of 2025 and it will have an investment of $14.200 million.
