Integrating mass transport systems to the city: An alternative proposal for the new TransMilenio lane in Bogotá, Av. 68

Abstract

The adoption of mass transit systems as efficient means of commuting has improved accessibility for thousands of people in urban areas. However, very often, infrastructural interventions have resulted in a disconnection between transport facilities and the urban spaces where they are inserted, due to an excessive prioritization of commuting over pedestrian experience. This paper argues for a proposal in which the possibility of addressing this issue from an urban design approach centered on mobility and the mobile subject is illustrated. For this purpose, based on a literature review and an analysis of referents, a number of core aspects are introduced in order to advance some design criteria and strategies for creating high-quality urban mobility spaces. In particular, this paper presents a project in which these aspects, criteria and strategies are applied to a counterproject for the construction of Avenida 68 line in Bogota, where the main mass transit system (TransMilenio) is an example of the prioritization of efficiency in commuting over high-quality urban spaces.       

Keywords: Transport Infrastructures, TransMilenio, Urban Mobility Spaces, Quality of Urban Spaces

Topic: Public space and urban project in contemporary metropolis