00:00This roundabout marks the boundary between Teusaquillo and Barrios Unidos.
00:0363rd Street connects western Bogotá with the NQS Avenue
00:08and along Carrera 50 it receives vehicles from residential areas such as Rafael Núñez, Nicolás de Federmán and Pablo VI.
00:18On the other side are some of the city's main sports and recreational venues.
00:23This concentration explains why cars, motorcycles, buses, athletes, families, cyclists, senior citizens, and people with disabilities all converge here.
00:35On September 20, 2026, a network began operating that regulates 8 vehicle access points and 4 pedestrian crossings.
00:44Since then, one question has divided opinions.
00:48Can safety be improved without turning the roundabout into another bottleneck?
00:54Roundabouts are supposed to help traffic flow, and in my opinion, this creates more congestion.
01:01traffic jam.
01:02Suddenly during rush hour, at this time you don't see much but during rush hour you do.
01:07too complicated.
01:11The time difference isn't that significant, but in terms of safety it's much better and you feel much more at ease.
01:18because you don't have to worry about the car hitting you or anything.
01:23They are both talking about the same place and the same traffic lights.
01:27The difference lies in how they reach them.
01:31One observes the roundabout from the traffic, the other tries to cross it on a bicycle.
01:49Before the intervention, crossing 63rd Street required calculating the speed of several vehicles at the same time.
01:57The pedestrian had to wait for a gap, run, or hope that a driver would slow down.
02:04In technical terms, that space is called a gap.
02:08When the flow is continuous, a sure opportunity may take too long or simply not appear.
02:14For a young person, the decision was already difficult.
02:17For someone who walks slowly, pushes a car, or uses a mobility aid, the risk was greater.
02:25I live in Rafael Núñez, and I frequently walk here in Parque de los Novios.
02:30and it was very difficult to cross both avenues.
02:34And the walk to the pedestrian area was a bit far.
02:37These traffic lights make it easier to get to the park and also reduce congestion on both avenues.
02:46The Mobility Secretariat says it studied the point for about two years.
02:53According to their records, between 2023 and 2025 there were 19 people injured in serious accidents.
03:01Five cyclists, one pedestrian, seven motorcyclists, two passengers and four drivers.
03:07On a typical weekday, more than 3,500 cyclists and around 590 pedestrians pass through the area.
03:14On Saturdays, the number of pedestrians approaches 760.
03:21We measured nearly 1,300 conflicts that were causing simple clashes
03:27and we had 19 accidents with serious injuries between 2023 and 2025.
03:34So that's the diagnosis the Secretariat had on this point.
03:37and it was decided that the best solution was this intervention with traffic lights.
03:43The network combines vehicular traffic lights with pedestrian crossings on demand.
03:48That means some crossings do not permanently interrupt traffic.
03:53The person presses the button, the system adds their request to the cycle
03:57and stops vehicles when appropriate.
04:00If no one requests passage, the flow of traffic continues.
04:04The purpose is to use the green light seconds only when there are pedestrians or cyclists waiting.
04:11These traffic lights are the most modern we have at the moment.
04:16They are fully connected to our traffic light laboratory
04:20And that allows us to manage them entirely remotely.
04:26In other words, we won't see members of our team adjusting traffic light cycles here.
04:32Nothing like it used to be, but now it can be done entirely remotely
04:37from our traffic light control center.
04:41And additionally, here we have two particularities.
04:44We have pedestrian traffic lights that only activate when pedestrians request them via the button.
05:08The most visible change is at street level.
05:11The connection between the bike paths no longer depends on crossing between vehicles.
05:17While pedestrians already have a phase in which traffic must stop.
05:22Yes, traffic has been a bit more congested than usual.
05:26because it stops the flow of cars at higher speeds
05:30But in terms of pedestrians and cyclists, there is more peace of mind.
05:36especially with our children.
05:38In my case, my son studies at the National University
05:41Well, I see that he can ride his bike across without risking his life, just like me.
05:47Caesar's statement summarizes the perceived cost and benefit.
05:53Some vehicles expect more.
05:55Those who cross feel that they no longer risk their lives.
05:58We actually had two pilots with our own staff, with guides,
06:03which also allowed us to see that if we left the steps automated
06:09And it worked well with the traffic lights.
06:12That's why we made that decision.
06:14The pilots were made in February of this year
06:16And we did them again in September just before the measure.
06:20Many people have asked us why we don't direct pedestrian traffic.
06:26to the pedestrian bridge that is about 500 meters away
06:30And the answer is simple.
06:33Here in these communities we have a significant population of people with reduced mobility.
06:39because they are senior citizens and people with disabilities
06:43And in that sense, the pedestrian bridge is not the best solution for them.
06:48What was happening? They were trying to cross at risk.
06:52And that was causing us a lot of problems with road accidents and injuries.
06:57And in that sense, the best solution is level crossings.
07:01It is the most convenient for both pedestrians and cyclists.
07:05There is a fundamental discussion.
07:07A bridge keeps cars at a certain speed
07:10shifting the burden of going up, down and detouring onto the pedestrian.
07:14A level crossing forces the vehicle to share the road space.
07:19Roundabouts are really supposed to help traffic flow.
07:23And this, in my opinion, creates more traffic jams.
07:27Suddenly during rush hour, at this time you suddenly don't see much.
07:29But during peak hours it is too complicated.
07:51The traffic light that's 20 meters away, the one on 62nd Street, is very close.
07:56So that also affects vehicle mobility, mostly
08:03and the bridge at 30th and 63rd becomes a bottleneck
08:06since there is a reduction from three to two lanes.
08:12This observation opens up another possibility: that some of the lines do not originate within the roundabout.
08:19If 63rd Street encounters less capacity as it approaches the NQS,
08:24Vehicles can back up until they block the exits.
08:29In that scenario, traffic lights serve to regulate entry and reduce conflicts.
08:35But they do not eliminate the restriction that exists further on.
08:39Even a well-organized roundabout can get congested.
08:43if the road receiving their vehicles fails to evacuate them.
08:47At first we saw that the traffic speed was reduced by about 20%,
08:53But today we are already seeing that the speed is approaching the baseline.
08:59So, this measure has a stabilization phase
09:04We are also adjusting the traffic light timings.
09:09so that all flows occur correctly
09:12And today we are seeing that the roundabout is flowing quite well.
09:17This is an initial assessment provided by the entity itself.
09:20and it still needs independent verification.
09:23Only a few days have passed and a full speed comparison has not yet been published.
09:29travel times, queue length, and conflicts before and after.
09:34Reducing accidents will still take more time.
09:38A few days without accidents are not enough to establish that the measure worked.
09:43just as a single row does not prove that it failed.
09:48Well, we have to give priority to pedestrians, as always.
09:51And anything that benefits our pedestrians is welcome.
09:56The discussion usually boils down to choosing between security and fluidity.
10:02As if a city could only protect those who walk
10:06at the cost of immobilizing those who drive.
10:08The real test will be more concrete.
10:11It will be necessary to determine if conflicts and accidents decreased.
10:15How much travel times have changed, where do the lines end?
10:20And if the nearby neighborhoods began to receive the traffic that avoids the roundabout.
10:25While that data appears, each change of light distributes something more than seconds.
10:30Decide who can cross this point safely and who must wait their turn.
10:46Thank you!
10:48Thank you!
Comentarios