In a Bogotá daily congested by traffic jams, 'car-free day', which is celebrated on the first Thursday in February, is a breath of fresh air because only taxis or buses can circulate, but not private cars.
This year, the Ministry of the Environment estimates that with this event a reduction in CO2 emissions of 56% can be achieved, an increase of 4% compared to last year's expectations.
Bogotá woke up this Thursday sunny and with better air quality, which for the first time in months is at a "low or moderate risk, a substantial improvement to how the city woke up in recent days due to the forest fires," stated the Secretary of the Environment, Adriana Soto.
Thus, from five in the morning until nine at night, the private cars that usually cause traffic jams in the city will turn off their engines, remain parked and their owners will have to choose between bicycles, taxis or using public transport. public.
All this to reduce pollution, both environmental and auditory, and encourage Bogota residents to use public transportation and bike lanes, which is expected to stop more than 1,850,000 private vehicles and 430,000 motorcycles from circulating.
This initiative was established in 2000 and was a "citizens' decision" since that year a popular consultation was called, as the mayor of the capital, Carlos Fernando Galán, stated this morning to inaugurate the 'car-free day'. ', after which he insisted that they hope that this day "will have the impact that was foreseen from the beginning."
Car-free day has been celebrated in the city since February 24, 2000 and after 24 years, the inhabitants of the capital have already become accustomed to the transportation restriction that occurs annually on the first Thursday of the month of February.
This initiative is added to the already well-known cycle path, which opens the main avenues of the capital on Sundays and holidays from seven in the morning to two in the afternoon for the use of cyclists, skaters or simply walkers.
Bogotá remains one of the cities in Latin America with the most routes for cyclists, with more than 600 kilometers of these, according to the Ministry of Mobility.
