Rio looks to cycling to reduce city emissions

Rio de Janeiro has doubled the number of cycle lanes in the city since 2009, creating the largest bike network in Brazil. The extension of the city’s bike lanes from 150 kilometres to the current 305 kilometres, is part of a bigger initiative to reach 450 kilometres by 2016, when Rio will host the Olympic Games.

“Rio is already the Brazilian capital of cycling,” said Altamirando Moraes, Rio’s Environment Undersecretary. “In addition to the significant increase in the bike lane network, the city has invested in integrating this system with the mass transportation networks. The results are already real. We have had an increase of 85 percent in cycling in recent years and we have recorded a million bike trips per day.”

Considering that 77 percent of pollutants emitted in Rio’s metropolitan area originate from vehicles, replacing cars with bikes has become a major goal for Rio de Janeiro City Hall. In order to stimulate usage, the municipality has been investing both in infrastructure and cycling culture, creating exclusive lanes throughout the city, and not only in the traditional tourist areas.

Rio established a bike rental system in 2011, whereby users can buy a daily or monthly pass for R$5 and R$10 (US$2.5 and US$5) respectively. There are currently 60 stations and 600 bikes available in the south and downtown areas. The plan is to spread the system to the remaining regions of Rio and reach 400 stations by 2016 and to target a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 16 percent.

“We believe that the sustainable future of this city depends on the use of bikes,” said Carlos Alberto Muniz, Rio’s Environment Secretary.

Apart from all those efforts to improve the city’s infrastructure, it is also important to improve the mentality regarding cycling. Rio City Hall has been implementing awareness campaigns to stimulate the use of bikes and to promote a safer environment for cyclists. Amongst them are ‘Rio Capital of Bike – I support’, ‘Come to work cycling’ and ‘‘Rio Capital of Bike’ Goes to School’, in addition to special activities during International Car-Free Day.

A new strategy to make Rio safer for cyclists is currently being designed by the Municipal Environment Secretary. The idea is to develop courses for bus drivers, who will also be invited to ride bikes with their families, so they may become more aware of cyclists.