Experimental Bikepath

This tactic consist of rapidly prototyping bike lanes and corresponding signage to incorporate safe spaces for non-motorized transport in the city.

This tactic involves tracing bike paths on public streets that allow for the prioritization of alternative modes of transport in the city and prove assumptions about the actual demand for such alternatives, the design of the route, and the need for infrastructure, to list a few. The Experimental Bike path project along Avenida Eliodoro Yanez was conceived as a joint initiative between the Municipality of Providencia and the Ciudad Emergente Foundation (CEM) to carry out an agile prototyping exercise that addressed infrastructure for non-motorized transport.

The benefits of innovating the ways we make the city, by testing infrastructure before investing in resources and creating instances that spark inclusive debates (which consider distinct stakeholders in order to record information and raise arguments), seem to make it the most appropriate way for authorities to make decisions about the city. We believe this not only because of the legitimacy required for the actual implementation of the projects, but also because of how enriching the experience of collectively addressing issues relevant to the community is for the citizens and the construction of a unified society. Through this process we often “discover” new and reoccurring opinions regarding familiar issues (such as the definition of city or transport). Finally, instances of citizen participation create a link between institutions and individuals who’s value cannot be understated.

This exercise in short-term tactical urbanism realized on the 18^th and 19^th of April, allowed us to gather valuable information that can contribute to an enriched (and heated) debate about the long-term process of changing the city, thus avoiding costly implementations of unsuitable infrastructure and allowing the development of strategies that place citizens at the center of public policy design.