Mayor Carolina Mejía sets the example; she arrives to work on bike

[Dolores]

The mayor of the National District, Carolina Mejia, arrived at her office on Tuesday on a bicycle. Her office wants to promote riding a bike in the city. She says that by doing so herself, she wants to encourage her employees to use bikes. The capital city government is reading to inaugurate a new bicycle route in Santo Domingo.

Mejía and Beras also announced an increase in efforts to make Santo Domingo a more bicycle-friendly city. They announced a new bike circuit as of 3 June, with the inauguration of a pilot program on Bolívar Avenue. The bicycle route starts at Km Zero in Independence Park to take Bolívar Avenue, turn south at Abraham Lincoln Ave. and a return via Independencia Ave to Km. Zero (Independence Park).

During his term as mayor her predecessor, David Collado, launched the city’s first “bici-ruta” in the National District, down tree-laden Winston Churchill Avenue...

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[Caonabo]

I do not know if bicycles are the answer, but I do commend her on leading by example. 👍👏

 

[NanSanPedro]

Personally, in the city, I would be scared to ride. I lived in Tucson and it was very bike friendly. It's hard to imagine SD being bike friendly. Let's hope it works!

 

[irishpaddy]

if they have as much thought for the bicyclists as they do for red lights …….a tank might be the best form of transport

 

[CristoRey]

She's definitely got a pair.
Having lived in both the
National District and SDE,
Santo Domingo is not a city
I would recommend people
ride bikes on major streets,
aves, roads. If you are not mowed down
by some idiot you are an easy target for robbery.

 

[CaribeDigital]

Great example, Carolina, but as a mayor you have a distinct opportunity to build bike lanes.

 

[windeguy]

A great way to reduce the population. Ride a bike in the DR.

 

[Son of a sailor]

having a new bike route is nice, cant ever have too many. she might be better off on one of them new fangled electric bikes though, especially in the heat of the ride home..i would be a sweat puddle.

 

[Tomas Ceara]

I don't know, but I guess it'd be better to set up bike zones in SD and Stgo more adaptable to this, as a model program, beginning with the weekends.

 

[Fulano2]

Too hot to ride a bike. They don’t come with a/c’s I assume.

 

[NALs]

The city government agreed in the last session to promote the usage of bicycles as a more environmentally friendly way of transportation.

 

[bienamor]

Noticed the new lane around the park independencia/bolivar as a moto passed me using that lane. I have my doubts as to how this will play out as I remember and I;m sure others do, how well it worked when we had the bus only lanes on streets like feb27 an others here in SD. in some area's you can still see the little ikons painted in the lane. If you can't keep the motos off the sidewalks you will never keep them out of the bicicyle lane. then there are the publicos an guagua

 

[Wishing you well]

Stupid those who would believe this would last past a month, if that long.

Do you truly believe someone like her, in her position, coming out of the family she comes out of, in a country as this, will ride a bike to work everyday?

If you do - I am selling a bridge.

 

[Son of a sailor]

Stupid those who would believe this would last past a month, if that long.

Do you truly believe someone like her, in her position, coming out of the family she comes out of, in a country as this, will ride a bike to work everyday?

If you do - I am selling a bridge.

we'll probably never see her and papa pedaling a two person bicycle.?

 

[ChelseaRose]

I for one commend the push to get more bicycles on the road in SD. I live in la zona colonial, often have to commute to bella vista, and I typically ride a bicycle to do so. I was a long-time bike commuter in Seattle before I moved here, and I would say that I feel just as safe riding in the streets here as I did in Seattle. Traffic is slower here, and drivers are more used to other vehicles acting erratically, motos, pushcarts, and all other craziness on the roadway. Granted, I opt for slower side streets when available, and never ride on 27 de Febrero, for example. But a critical mass of bicyclists will make the roads safer, quieter, and less polluted. And if you find the right speed, you create your own air conditioning without getting too overheated!

I'm not sure how they'll keep motos out of the bike lanes, but I did see that they're towing cars that park over the lane! It would be better if the lane is protected with bollards or some other physical divider.

And I also hope they add more bike lanes through la zona colonial- or just close the whole zone off to vehicles, please! It would be so much nicer if it was all pedestrianized (except for local residential/commercial access, of course).