Sunday, October 31, 2010

Defend La Ciclovía de la Septima!

Seventh Ave. Ciclovia - are its days numbered?

La Ciclovía is a Bogotá tradition and has been imitated (but never matched) by many cities across North and South America. Of the hundreds of kilometers of streets which are closed to cars on Sundays and holidays, Seventh Ave. is by far the most important because of its popularity with users and because it passes many of the capital's most important historical and political landmarks, as well as parks and neighborhoods.

However, this most important section of La Ciclovia is now endangered by plans to expand the city's Transmilenio express bus system along Seventh. Already, the Ciclovia line on 26th Street disappeared a year ago when the city began work on a TM line along that avenue.

We don't object to TM expansion - today Seventh Ave. is chaotic and polluted. But we don't want to see this Bogotá tradition mortally wounded. Disappearance of the Seventh Ave. Ciclovia would not only hurt businesses like Bogotá Bike Tours, it would also deprive many thousands of bogotanos of their Sunday recreation and deal a severe economic blow to the hundreds of mainly low-income people who sell food and repair bicycles along La Ciclovía's route.

We defenders of La Ciclovía are demanding that officials designate an alternate route during construction and that La Ciclovía return to its most important corridor once construction is completed.

La Ciclovía's defenders are planning a big march Nov. 14, Day of the Bicycle, from the National Park to Bolivar Square, demanding that La Ciclovía de la Septima be saved!!! Read more at: www.lacicloviaserespeta.com

Aristobulo, and friends, who fix bikes near the National Park, show off invitations to the march!

Yolanda, who cooks and sells food along La Ciclovia with her skateboarder friends go all out in defense of La Ciclovia!

Yolanda's flyer calling for participation in the march to save La Ciclovia!


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