Voices from the city

Mexico City: Bike Town

A shared bicycle program contributes to the greening of Mexico City

On a recent morning in Mexico City, David Alvarado, 34, looks happy as a kid. As a teenager he emigrated to the United States. Now he’s back in town for a vacation and to visit friends, for the first time since he left. "I can't believe the sky is blue," he smiles. In the 1990s, the city experienced an environmental dark age that turned skies gray and triggered frequent pollution emergencies.

Alvarado is also impressed by the degree of security in the Condesa neighborhood where he used to attend school and hang out with friends. Before, Condesa felt abandoned and risky. Now it bubbles with energy, posh restaurants, boutiques, film crews at work, and dozens of new apartment buildings showcasing modern architecture. But mostly, Alvarado’s joy comes from the fashionable red and white, French-made bicycles that city residents, once registered with the city’s bike program, can use to travel point to point around town.

Two of his old friends who are members of the program retrieve bikes and have a great time  bringing back memories as they pedal around the streets where they used to play. 

Green Wheels

The shared bicycle program, called EcoBici, is part of a series of green initiatives that center-left governments have implemented since they came to power in Mexico City in the late 1990s.

"It is a way to give Mexico City residents back their time, money and health – in short, their quality of life," said Environmental Secretary Martha Delgado when the program was launched on February 16th, 2010. On the same day, traffic regulations were changed to expand the road-rights of bike riders and establish penalties for disrespectful drivers. 

Currently, bicycles account for less than 2% of private transportation in Mexico City. Through EcoBici and other bicycle promotion measures, the government hopes to increase that figure to 5%. In its first stage the system offers 85 stations with 1,114 bicycles. Users pay a yearly fee of 300 pesos. The first 30 minutes of use is free, the next 30 minutes costs 10 pesos, and an additional hour goes for 35 pesos.

"I would be happy to pay even more than that to use the system for the couple of weeks I will be here on vacation," Alvarado says.

Currently only city residents can register, but Clear Channel Outdoor, the company that runs the program on behalf of the city government, is working with hotels to extend the service to visitors.

Three months after its inception EcoBici has registered 5,500 people, a quarter of the way to the progam’s target of 24,000 users. More than 120,000 trips have been made so far, with an average of 1.7 trips per user every day.

Eventually the program will be expanded to cover more neighborhoods, with a total of 6,000 bicycles.

EcoBici may seem small given the vast size of Mexico City's metropolitan area, which counts approximately 22 million people, but it's having a magnetic effect on citizens. A bicycle culture is reviving among young people. The majority of EcoBici users range between 25 and 40 years of age. And there are now fancy shops selling expensive "retro bikes."

"It's so cool," says 26 year-old fashion designer Martha Sanchez. "I even use [EcoBici] to go clubbing on Fridays, and I’m making new friends in the neighborhood who are EcoBici users." In fact, Friday, as people get off work and start their weekend plans, is the peak day for usage.

Bicitekas, the largest non-profit the city that promotes bicycles and bike riding, welcomes the bicycle sharing initiative. "It's another step towards a greener, friendlier city, which fits into a current global trend," says Bicitekas president Areli Carrion. "There has always been a bike culture in Mexico," she adds. "From wandering bread vendors, to knife sharpeners or tamal sellers, the bike has always been there."

After the morning rush hour on weekdays, when the suits have left for the office and the neighborhood calms down, housewives can be seen doing their grocery shopping on EcoBicis, food delivery boys pedal by with packages, seniors ride for exercise and pleasure, and pet owners even take their dogs for walks with the bikes.

"I was already into bicycling, so the program fit me perfectly," says Rodolfo Ramos, a doctor who lives and works in Colonia Condesa. He has one bike station right outside his home and another right across the street from his office, so his car stays home most days of the week. "I hope they extend the program into other areas, this is what the city needs: less traffic, more people riding bikes."

One thing all EcoBici users talk about is safety. They often complain that car drivers are aggressive, careless and do not respect traffic regulations.

Carrion, from Bicitekas says there is a lot of concern that the city is unsafe for cyclers:
"That is part of the bicycle culture we have to improve, but if you take responsibility for your bike and your actions, if you respect the rules and watch out, you can manage," she says.

The city’s biking infrastructure can improve by increasing the bike-only lanes and other facilities, but the current bike craze as well as activism from groups such as Bicitekas will encourage the government to do even more.

More on EcoBici and Mexico City cycling:
www.ecobici.df.gob.mx
www.bicitekas.org
www.retrobike.com.mx
www.espressocycles.com
http://bike-sharing.blogspot.com

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Author: José Fernández R.

Author Bio: José Fernández R. is a mexican writer and Mexico City resident who prefers bike riding, walking and the Metrobus over driving and cabs.

Image Credit: José Fernández R.

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