National Road Safety Body Recommends Resuming Construction of Key Santiago Bikeway Section

Chile's National Road Safety Commission (Conaset) has issued a report recommending the continuation of construction for the third and final section of the Alameda-Providencia bikeway. This crucial stretch runs from Exposición Street to Avenida Pajaritos in Maipú, connecting key areas of the metropolitan region.

Minister of Housing, Iván Poduje, had previously suspended the construction of this segment, despite the completion and inauguration of the first two sections. Conaset's report highlights that the absence of the approximately 3.8-kilometer third section creates a significant discontinuity in the planned infrastructure. This break negatively impacts the network's connectivity, reduces the expected service level, and potentially increases road safety risks for cyclists.

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Conaset has said what the mayors and the Regional Government have been maintaining since day one: the third section is necessary and urgent for the city of Santiago.

Metropolitan Regional Governor Claudio Orrego strongly supported Conaset's findings, stating, "Conaset has said what the mayors and the Regional Government have been maintaining since day one: the third section is necessary and urgent for the city of Santiago." He emphasized that the recommendation is based on technical reasons, not political ones.

Orrego reiterated his call for the government to resume construction, noting that the bikeway benefits three vulnerable communes heavily reliant on cycling: Estación Central, Lo Prado, and Maipú. He urged that the project be viewed not as a whim but as a genuine need for the city of Santiago, underscoring the importance of integrated urban mobility solutions.

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It is not an opinion based on political reasons; it is based on technical reasons.