Bogota's TransMilenio Turns 10

The Colombian capital has been transformed as a result of integrated transit policies and transportation networks, notes Jonna McKone of TheCityFix.

"Bogotá has become so easy to navigate by public transportation that its citizens approved a referendum vote endorsing an annual car-free day and outlawing rush hour car traffic beginning in 2015. TransMilenio's implementation has occurred alongside the installment of one of the world's most extensive network of bike paths, CicloRuta, as well as hundreds of new parks and plazas. Businesses are thriving. New homes have been constructed. And the ultimate benchmarker of success: nearly a million people, or 10 percent of the population, have left their cars at home for a more convenient and cost-effective public transportation system.

However, the system is not without need for improvement. Bureaucratic contracts with service providers make tweaking small components of the system difficult. And as [Darío] Hidalgo says, 'The TransMilenio system still needs attention and improvements, especially in two aspects: buses and selected stations are overcrowded and road surface needs permanent and timely maintenance.'"

Thanks to Garrett Bradford