Latin America may not have the same bike-friendly reputation as Europe, but several major Latin American cities have dedicated significant resources toward becoming more accessible to cyclists. Bike lanes, bike-share stations, and public outreach campaigns have allowed residents to cycle effortlessly through their cities while reducing their carbon footprints. Here are some of the most bike-friendly cities in Latin America and how they’ve transformed themselves to accommodate cyclists.
1. Santiago, Chile
Santiago has transformed into a more pedestrian and bike-friendly city in the past decade. Santiago previously trailed in cycling and walking infrastructure compared to other large South American cities, but it has quickly bolstered its infrastructure in recent years.
In 2017, Santiago won the International Sustainable Transportation award for its cycling infrastructure and public transportation improvements and the redesign of certain streets in the city’s historical center. A “complete streets” revamping project allowed for corridors reserved exclusively for public transportation. Calle Placer, one of the city’s busiest streets, is pedestrian-only on the weekends.
Significant investments in green spaces within residential neighborhoods, revamped main streets, and education programs promoting cycling have all been instrumental in the city’s transformation. Santiago’s cycling culture has exploded since these changes, with a leap from 150 to 5,000 daily cycling trips. BikeSantiago, the city’s bike-share initiative, was responsible for about half of this increase, with additional support from a bicycle taxi program called BMov Trici.
2. São Paulo, Brazil
São Paulo’s biking culture emerged in the early 2000s and has gained momentum through citizen cyclist initiatives and the CicloFaixa de Lazer. This weekly car-free program reserves the roads for cyclists and pedestrians. The city has undergone several progressive changes to become more bike-friendly in recent years, including the construction of bike lanes, a bike-sharing system, and the formation of an NGO called Ciclocidade, which advocates for biking reforms.
In the 2012 mayoral election, public pressure led all major candidates to pledge support for bike-friendly policies, paving the way for substantial changes. Mayor Fernando Haddad spearheaded a cycling network expansion to reach 400 kilometers of bike lanes by 2015, which was successfully achieved. The city adapted 12 bridges for cyclists, installed 8,000 bike racks, and expanded the bike-sharing program to include 1,500 bikes at 158 stations.
3. Mexico City, Mexico
Mexico City began to embrace cycling in 2007 with the introduction of the Muevete en Bici Program, under which some main roads are closed to traffic every Sunday to allow cyclists and pedestrians to move freely.
Despite a slower start in developing a comprehensive cycling network, Mexico City has accelerated its efforts since 2019. Monumental changes, driven by political will, expedited construction, and a holistic vision, have resulted in the creation of over 140 miles of new bike infrastructure between 2019 and 2022. The city strategically prioritized metro connections and bike hubs, ensuring the development of a multi-modal network seamlessly integrated with existing transit systems.
The city’s bike share system, Ecobici, has expanded significantly over the past few years, growing from 480 to 687 stations and 6,500 to 9,300 bicycles. Mexico City has also implemented an initiative to invite private investment for further expansion through partnerships with companies like Lyft.
The city also focuses on equitable access by extending infrastructure to underserved areas and implementing educational programs. Advocacy groups like Bicitekas have promoted cycling and pushed for policy changes.
4. Bogotá, Colombia
Bogotá has gained global recognition for its groundbreaking pedestrian and bicycle-friendly initiatives. Each Sunday, the city holds its famous Ciclovia car-free event, closing more than 100 kilometers of streets for cyclists and pedestrians. Bicycle Colectivos unify diverse groups through collective rides, transcending socioeconomic barriers. Former mayor Enrique Peñalosa’s decade-long dedication to cycling has propelled Bogotá onto the international stage as a shining example of urban transformation.
The Colombian capital boasts an extensive network of 590 kilometers of bike lanes. The city’s 2020-24 Strategic Plan includes several bike-friendly goals, including expanding cycling lanes to 830 kilometers by 2024 and increasing the number of cycle trips by 50 percent. Bogotá won the 2022 Sustainable Transport Award for these efforts.
5. Buenos Aires, Argentina
Buenos Aires, like many other cities, saw a seismic shift in mobility during the pandemic. General traffic plummeted by over 53 percent. Public transport use also nosedived, while private car usage surged from 22 percent to 36 percent of total trips. In response, the city embraced cycling as a safe and accessible means of transport.
Before the pandemic, Buenos Aires was already home to over 250 kilometers of bike lanes. During the pandemic, the city added two new bike lanes on the iconic avenues of Córdoba and Corrientes, resulting in a 350 percent spike in bike trips and a quadrupling of female cyclists. This biking boom extended citywide, as bike sales doubled and bicycle deliveries increased by 50 percent. In 2020, cycling accounted for more than 10 percent of all total trips in the city.