Transportation authorities announced this week that Concepción – the nation’s second largest city – was one of three Latin American recently cities funded to encourage bike use as a sustainable transportation alternative. Funding comes from the Global Environment Facility (GEF) by way of the Danish organization – the Unep Riso Center – which is also launching new bike programs in Guatemala City and Panama City.

 

 

Photo courtesy of Sectra Files

 

The first part of the project involves a five-month comprehensive diagnosis of the current transport and biking scene in Concepción and an analysis of how best to promote bike use among citizens, emphasizing environmental and health benefits. The study will be conducted by the Inter-Ministerial Transport Planning Secretary (Sectra).

Sectra engineer Italo San Nicolo said Chile’s government has a master plan to build up to 272 kms of bicycle trails in the Concepción region (there are now 25 kms) and to increase bike trail usage from 1 percent of the population to 3 percent over the next three years.

“The study’s conclusions will allow us to take informed action so that bicycling is perceived as an efficient, safe, environmentally clean and healthy transport alternative that brings multiple personal benefits,” said San Nicolo.

In Chile's Metropolitan Region, the Santiago boroughs of Nuñoa and Providencia have already experienced the benefits of the bicycle promotional program promoted by GEF.

By Murielle Ivonne Oisel ( This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it )