BY MIREYA AMAYA TENDENCIAS@ELDIARIODEHOY.COM

2014-04-23 8:00:00

For some years now, in many cities in Europe, but now also in Latin America, people have been talking about pedestrian- and cyclist-friendly cities. In fact, Copenhagen, Tokyo, Berlin and Amsterdam are recognized for having implemented this concept.

According to Dr Paul Timms, of the Institute of Transport Studies at the University of Leeds, England, there are many definitions of a friendly city, “a simple one says it is the one where it is easy and safe to move around all around. For example, a good piece of evidence is that it offers no difficulty in mobilizing people with disabilities such as the blind or those who move in wheelchairs. But it’s also where the accident rate for cyclists and pedestrians is low,” he explains.

These are characterized by three main elements, one is infrastructure, which includes ramps and good signage, but regulations are also needed so that people don’t abuse spaces and, ultimately, enforce the laws.

According to Timms, all cities, including San Salvador, can be planned under this concept. With regard to zones or areas, the expert is of the idea that this should be applied throughout the city. But in practical terms, he says, “it’s good to emphasize the city center. This is because according to European experience these areas are also good for trade.

“In fact, there are many cities in Europe, where the centre is a very good part for pedestrians because it has shops, restaurants, bars, etc. In other words, there are improvements on the basis of this,” he says.

In this planning what is needed, says Timms, is that each street has a purpose. For example, there are specific roads for cars, but obviously they must have good sidewalks for the transit of people. Other special streets for shops or for pedestrians and buses. “In some of them it is even possible to prohibit the circulation of cars,” he adds.

The point is to organize in order to make it more friendly to pedestrians.

The initiative

Engineer Erick Garcia says that for a project of this magnitude to come to life in El Salvador you need someone to drive it and take the lead.

“It can be the governmental part or the municipal part, although ideally it should be done in an integrated manner. If we want to make our cities friendly to both pedestrians and cyclists, we have to start working soon because other Central American countries are ahead of us. Such is the case in Guatemala, which has just made a master plan for cyclists,” he says.

In recent years there have been many initiatives, there has been an increase in cycling and walking activity. Therefore, in García’s opinion, as a society it is possible to promote and create this enthusiasm within the governmental and municipal sectors so that the authorities are interested in this type of projects.

“They should see that it is necessary for civil society to carry out projects that are friendly to the environment and that facilitate day-to-day mobility, but that can also involve savings in transport costs,” he points out.

In addition, Garcia emphasizes the importance of taking this resurgence in order to give facilities to bicycle users so that as they do it in a recreational way they can do it as a means of transportation. —EDH