Movilidad Integrada

CDMX — Mexico City

Joel Epstein

Cablebús Linea 3 from Los Pinos Constituyentes to Santa Fe. CDMX.

I am back in Mexico City which I can’t seem to get enough of. Let’s just say, I didn’t need much encouragement to return.

The new Cablebús Línea 3 (shown above) from Los Pinos Constituyentes to Santa Fe is just the latest addition to the growing network of Cablebús lines that Mexico City is building to move Chilangos to hard to reach parts of the mega city. The beauty of the high-capacity Cablebús network is that it moves riders long distances over what are often (always) traffic choked streets and highways. Having lived for many years in Los Angeles where transit advocates including yours truly have long sought to advance an aerial cable car line from DTLA to Dodger Stadium, to see CDMX build three lines in that time is the cause for muchos celos or more succinctly, transit envy. As for other new public transportation improvements I look forward to riding while here, there is El Insurgente, the new interurban train from CDMX to Toluca.

Add to Cablebús, the city’s extensive BRT (Bus Rapid Transit) Metrobús network, a massive Metro, Trolebús and Trolebús Elevado and Ecobici, a robust bike share network and growing protected network of bike lanes (ciclovías), and that transit envy just grows. Ecobici, offered by Lyft, at a fraction of the cost of Citibike in New York, is my regular go to when I am not reliant on Metrobús, Metro, Cablebús or the countless smaller buses and peseros (colectivos) that ply the region’s streets and highways. There is also a separate tren legero line that runs to Xochimilco in the south.

One of CDMX’s new electric BRTs. The high-capacity system system which boasts elevated center lane stations, frequent service and dedicated bus-only lanes should inspire NYC’s MTA to ditch SBS (Select Bus Service) and build real BRTs throughout the City.

The reality is that mega cities like Mexico City are choking on internal migration from other parts of the country and their own success in attracting workers flocking to better work opportunities in the city.

Too many Chilangos including some good friends are still dependent on private cars.

To move the masses of humanity that live in Mexico City, CDMX has done a good (perhaps excellent) job of creating a range of public transit options collectively known as Movilidad Integrada CDMX. Indeed, given the region’s congestion, booming population and ever expanding footprint, it frankly has to.

Some of Mexico City’s highways were once rivers.

In Las Águilas and elsewhere in CDMX, Chilangos get a workout crossing over, and under, the highway.

An electric Trolebús in Roma Sur, CDMX.

Cablebús Línea 3 at Vasco de Quiroga. Each gondola can seat ten passengers.

If like countless U.S. mayors you honestly believe BRTs will never work outside of the biggest cities like New York and LA, think again. This is a BRT line in Puebla, Mexico. BRTs can also be found in other smaller cities throughout Latin America including Cartagena, Colombia.

Over the next few months I plan to write a lot more about movilidad integrada in Mexico City as well as public transport in other cities in Mexico. And as usual, I expect I will use what I see and learn to prod New York’s MTA and LA Metro and some of my other favorite cities to get off their high horse and adopt more of the time-tested methods of moving masses of humanity that CDMX’s movilidad integrada is demonstrating daily.

Until then, please VOTE BLUE! We have all suffered enough from the Republican trifecta of a racist, fascist and sexist convicted felon.

To address the problem of violence against women and girls, sections of CDMX’s buses and trains are reserved for women and children. Take that you groper and Republican presidential candidate!

Yours in transit,

Joel

Joel Epstein is a New Yorker and an advocate for public transit, livable cities and public space.

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