Cyclist needs identified in on-site geospatial analysis

The Entornos Amables Project or “Friendly Environment” seeks to develop in the city of Mérida, Yucatán to address the needs of children, young women, adult women, and urban cyclists (regardless of gender) who use cycling as a mode of transport or as a means to live a healthier life.

To identify the needs of cyclists in terms of safe road safety infrastructure, project lead Alida Paola Becerra Garcia and their team from Reflexion y Accion Feminsita visited the selected areas to measure the pedestrian and bicycle safety infrastructure, such as sidewalks, medians, and bicycle lanes, as well as road lanes.

They also counted cyclists who took the routes they had identified as part of their ‘urban audit evaluation’. According to an article by La Verdad Noticias, “The  cyclist count  organized by the Feminist Reflection and Action group (RAF), supported by the Zero Mission Strategy initiative, Cicloturixes , the Sustainable Mobility Observatory and the private initiative, was carried out on Wednesday afternoon in five points of the city , which are considered conflictive and high-traffic intersections by vehicle insurance companies.”

The team spoke with cyclists in five areas around Merida about what public policies needed to be improved to address the needs of female cyclists and road users who traveled using other modes of transport, excluding motorised and vehicles.