Another Doomed Scheme for La Septima

A typical traffic-choked day on Carrera Septima. 

Carrera Septima has been a story of futility for Bogotá transit. It's Bogotá's most iconic avenue, but also one of its most polluted and chaotic.

City leaders have proposed one solution after another, but put virtually none of them into action. There was the idea of a TransMilenio line along La Septima, which died a quiet death. Then Samuel Moreno's proposal for a 'TransMilenio Light' line, which died with Moreno's imprisonment. Petro's idea of a light rail line has run up against legal and technical obstacles. About the only novelty on the avenue are TransMilenio's flex 'ecobuses,' which are low pollution, but get trapped in the same congestion as other vehicles.

Now, the city plans to create a TransMilenio-style bus-only lane on Carrera Septima. It's a good idea in principle - but where tires hit the road, the best-laid plans can fail.

The outside, right-hand lanes are to be bus-only. But what will happen when a truck stops to load or unload?

A truck stopped on Carrera Septima, in what is to an exclusive bus lane. 

And will Bogotá's drivers, known for ignoring laws, respect a lane just because there's a dividing line painted there? TransMilenio lanes are protected by a concrete barrier...

A TransMilenio lane on Ave. Caracas in Bogotá, protected by a cement divider.

yet, nevertheless, on some avenues, cars and buses illegally invade the TransMilenio lanes.

Regular buses illegally using a TransMilenio lane on Carrera Decima.

Exclusive bus lanes are a good idea, as would be car-pool lanes. But Bogotanos' lack of respect for the law will probably make this yet another one of Petro's idealistic schemes which will fall to earth when it meets the reality on the street. 

In any case, here's another doomed suggestion:

When they implement this scheme, how about prohibiting those rolling chimneys from the bus-only lanes? 

By Mike Ceaser, of Bogotá Bike Tours

Transit Rolls Foward...Just a Bit

Passengers entering the newly-opened Museo Nacional TransMilenio Station.

Years late and way over budget, the elaborate Museo Nacional TransMilenio Station finally opened to passengers today. The huge station is the only one which is completely underground and includes some nice public space. 

Passengers inaugurate the
new Museo Nacional
TransMilenio station.

But the station lacks its main reason for being - handling new and rational transit for Ave. Septima. Several transit plans for the avenue, including versions of TransMilenio, a 'green corridor' and light rail, have either died or fallen into legal limbo. Mayor Petro's administration still insists on building a light rail line. But the project's financial and engineering viability are in doubt, as is Petro's future in office. 

As a temporary measure, the city plans to add newer, relatively clean buses capable of running on either diesel or electricity to La Septima. Unfortunately, however, traffic congestion and pollution won't be reduced by adding more vehicles, but by removing the old, polluting buses now choking and polluing the avenue. 

Transit officials say they'll start removing those old buses in December. But this city administration has so far seemed unwilling to defy the bus companies, and has left old bus lines on other avenues with new TM lines, so don't hold your breath. (Or, rather, do hold your breath, so as not to gulp that pollution.)

And even if the city does manage to remove those old buses, will it allow the companies to simply place them on other avenues, to continue polluting and congesting?

Bogotá transit authorities plan to add cleaner, modern buses which can operate on either diesel or electricity. But the old, highly-polluting buses? Well, they're supposed to be retired in December. We'll see.

A SITP bus stop.

Routine traffic congestion on Carrera 30. Will old buses finally removed from La Septima just be shifted to other streets?

My obligatory photos of buses belching smoke. (Both taken this afternoon.) If Bogotá wants cleaner air, why don't authorities actually enforce emssions laws?

By Mike Ceaser, of Bogotá Bike Tours

Scenes Along La Septima

An exhibition of winners of a photo contest of scenes along Ave. Septima displayed in Bogotá's Parque Nacional. 

The winners of a photography contest about Bogotá's iconic Ave. Septima, displayed in the Parque Nacional, coincided today with historic scenes of Bogotá displayed on the walls along Ave. Septima itself.

Probably Ave. Septima's most iconic and history-laden spot, the intersection with Jimenez Ave. The tracks are reminders of the old streetcars, which were pushed over and burnt during the 1948 Bogotazo riots following the assassination on this intersection of politician Jorge Eliecer Gaitan. 

Adding a photo of an historic building - but which one?

A destroyed streetcar during El Bogotazo.

A boy stands in front of a burning streetcar during El Bogotazo.

A scene of destruction, perhaps the aftermath of El Bogotazo.

Transvestites walk along La Septima. 

The statue of revolutionary leader San Martin on La Septima, near the old Bavaria brewery and the Museo Nacional.

An entertainer along La Septima. 

By Mike Ceaser, of Bogotá Bike Tours

The Characters of Ave. Septima

A portrait painter and a band beside the El Tiempo building.

The pedestrian-only segment of Ave. Septima, from Plaza Bolivar to 25th St., is a colorful place, particularly on a sunny Sunday. Today, during a walk from just Jimenez to Plaza Bolivar, I passed performers, political activists, musicians and artists.

Not bad for a place which was known mostly for noise, pollution and traffic hazards.

Luis, who's running for president on his bicycle, beside the memorial to Jorge Eliecer Gaitan.

A comedian/female impersonator.

A dancing marionette.

A sidewalk human rights display. 

Crowd watching the marionette show.

Bicyclists pass by on their way to Plaza Bolivar.

A man performs tremendous feats with broken glass and fire. 

A knight mime.

A monster mime. 

This painter was raffling off his work. 

By Mike Ceaser, of Bogotá Bike Tours

Dancing for the Disappeared

This theatre troupe, called Teatro Peya, carried out this dance/acting on the pedestrianized stretch of La Septima this afternoon.

The performance, in which the actors cried out phrases such as 'Where is he?' 'You'd better be quiet!' and 'Be careful', and approached passers-by and appealed to them to 'Help find my brother!' or yelled out 'I am a woman!', got a lot of attention. But I'm not sure how well the observers got its message. The actors wanted to bring attention to the problem of 'disappeared people' and to the role of women, this being International Women's Life.

The theatre group also does circus, puppet shows and entertains hospitalized children.

'Do I have rights?'

'Mujer'

Can you help me find him?

The scream.

By Mike Ceaser, of Bogotá Bike Tours