The Jane’s Walk Morelia collective announced that it has been awarded third place in the contest Best Streets for Mexico, a national recognition that rewards outstanding initiatives in the improvement and revitalization of urban spaces.
The project titled “Av. Michoacán: Let’s walk the street again” focused on the intervention of Avenida Michoacán, a historic 1.2 km road near the center of Morelia. The collective’s proposal responded to key problems such as the lack of accessibility on sidewalks, poor signage, and the lack of vegetation, which affect the safety and vitality of the avenue. With a comprehensive approach and aligned with national and international standards and manuals, the initiative prioritizes active mobility, especially for women and children, promoting infrastructure that guarantees safe and equitable transit.
This is the second edition of the initiative ‘Better Streets for Mexico’, organized by ITDP (Institute for Transportation and Development Policies) in collaboration with CEMEX, whose call seeks the participation of local authorities and civil society organizations to build better environments and cities for all people. This year, the contest received more than 80 registrations from non-governmental organizations and authorities from all over the country, of which 18 teams were finalists: 9 in the category of government authorities and 9 from civil society. A group of experts evaluated each proposal based on its urban design and the impacts and benefits generated.
According to Gonzalo Peón, executive director of ITDP Mexico, one of the objectives of Better Streets for Mexico is “to ensure that the most abundant infrastructure in cities: the streets, are transformed into spaces to enjoy the city; where the flow of people is more efficient, safe and does not exclude anyone due to the mode of transportation they use or their physical and economic capabilities.”
Among the relevant findings of the Jane’s Walk Morelia project, 76 road accidents were recorded in 2022, and a morning vehicular flow of 1,110 cars and 220 motorcycles, with a majority pedestrian flow of women, reflecting the need for interventions that address the gender and care perspective.
The intervention plan is developed in four stages: participatory diagnosis, development of the executive project, construction and community activation of the space. The strategy includes citizen workshops and the integration of technological tools such as drones and QGIS for mapping and evaluating the current infrastructure.
Jane’s Walk Morelia invites government levels, the private sector and of course, always the citizens to join the active mobility agenda to transform Morelia and Michoacán into more accessible, safe and livable spaces for everyone.
Source: mimorelia
