Over 600 cities around the world have public bike-share systems. In Mexico City, the Ecobici system has been up and running since 2010, starting in the dense downtown and expanding twice. Today, you can ride Ecobici from the Museo Soumaya in Polanco through the streets of the Historic Center to the Metro station in Tacubaya. That’s just one of the many reasons Ecobici has been recognized over and over as one of the world’s leading bike-share systems. In a ceremony celebrating the 4th anniversary of the system last Sunday, Mayor Miguel Ángel Mancera announced that the system is expanding yet again, adding more bikes, more stations, and more opportunities for Mexico City residents.
The fourth phase of Ecobici will expand the system into the Benito Juárez neighborhood within the next year. The system will complement the existing cycling infrastructure in the area, such as new bike lanes on several major roads. The expansion will add 171 stations and 2,600 bikes in an area of 14 square kilometers. The Secretariat of the Environment (Sedema) reported that the planned investment is over 120 million pesos (9 million USD), of which a significant percentage will be contributed from the neighborhood government.
The new stations will feature a technology advancement for the system, allowing on-site credit card payment for multi-day membership, which offers casual users and tourists more flexibility in using the system. ITDP continues to work closely with Ecobici operators and the city’s Environmental Department to advance the city’s Bicycle Mobility Strategy and provide advice on Ecobici expansion. With the new phase, Mexico City will become one of the largest systems of its kind in the world.
Since opening, over 13 million riders have traveled on Ecobici bikes. On the days with the highest demand, more than 30,900 people have gone for a spin. Secretary of the Environment Tanya Müller estimated that since 2010, the Ecobici system has reduce carbon emissions by 499 tons. To celebrate its 4th year, Ecobici is giving away a trip to Barcelona, another city with a top-quality bike-share system, through #RetoEcobiciCDMX.
Speaking at the event celebrating Ecobici’s 4th year, Mayor Mancera said, “Ecobici is a system that fulfills its goal of making the bike a mode of transport”. Whether for recreation or transport, Ecobici has established itself as a key feature of the Mexican capital landscape, and a great, sustainable mobility option for the city’s inhabitants.
See the video below (in Spanish) for more information: