Austin City Council Approves Ciclovia

Global walking/biking movement

Jay Blazek Crossley, Nov 23, 09.

Austin’s City Council approved a resolution on Thursday, November 19, to join the many cities following Bogota, Columbia’s lead in instituting a Ciclovia, wherein some streets are closed to cars and handed over to pedestrians for a day, according to Fitness and Outdoors Austin Blog.

In Bogota, Ciclovia is a recurring event every Sunday and holidays with bicyclists, skaters, roller skaters, and walkers using main lanes of some roads throughout the city as well as programs such as yoga and other organized outdoor activities for families. Fitness and Outdoors notes that “as part of this resolution, the City Manager will work with the community to build this event, but to also encourage future event of this nature that will encourage public health and cycling.” Bike advocates, such as Austin on Two Wheels, mounted a campaign to pass the resolution in Austin.

City of Austin City Council Resolution (pdf)
Streetswiki: Ciclovia

The Ciclovia craze that has hit cities across the world, including Chicago, New York, San Francisco, and El Paso, owes some of its popularity to this video from Streetsfilms:

(Photo Credit: Nati Garcia)