Network of Bicycle Routes Guatemala City - 8a Biennal 2014

Cathal O'Meara

Network of bicycle paths Guatemala City project summary.
Designer Cathal O’ Meara
Project date April 2009 – June 2010

This project was to develop a Network Plan for Bicycle Routes in Guatemala City and sat within the municipality department of Urban Mobility who are responsible for planning and managing the city’s public transport network. This project began in April 2009 and finished in June 2010, and sought to provide the planning expertise needed for the municipality to apply for international funding to develop a network of bicycle tracks that would enable an alternative, complimentary mode of transport in Guatemala City.

For the 15-month duration of this project, a Design Without Borders designer worked with the municipality on developing this plan. As the municipality had no expertise in this field the designer’s role involved not only the in office work of an urban designer but also a large element of public consultation to understand local cyclists needs. This public consultation involved participatory planning workshops, field research cycles with local cyclists (and the municipality) and on the designer becoming an active member of the local cyclist protest group – MasaCritica Guatemala.

The Design without Borders program of Norsk Form had two project partners during this time -
the Municipality of Guatemala and the INDIS design department at the University Rafael Landivar in Guatemala City.

Existing municipality transport studies were used as a part of the project research and fieldwork was undertaken to supplement the lacking date on cyclist movements in the city. The designer also worked with Design students from the partner university, Rafael Landivar who undertook project research and developed locally relevant bicycle parking proposals.

External expertise was also sought from international organizations during the course of this project including the Institute for Transport Development Policy (ITDP) in Mexico City who have recently been involved with developing many similar proposals throughout Latin America.

During this project extensive contact was also made with other municipality planning departments. Of particular relevance was the Urbanistica department who were undertaking a renovation of the main city shopping streets. As the bicycle network plan includes a cycle track on this street the DWB designer worked with Urbanistica to develop a detailed series of drawings which were constructed. This phase of the plan was finished by December 2010.

A public bike rental scheme has also recently opened to link the City's main university with the Transmetro and Public bike parking has been installed at many of the Municipal buildings.

As part of the Mayors reelection campaign, the second phase began in 2011 and includes a 15km fully separated cyclist track along the main transit artery in the city. The network continues to be rolled out and was successfully used as the major theme in the reelection of the City's Mayor Alvaro Arzu in 2011.

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