As new work is completed, fines will be applied for not respecting bicycle lanes in Merida

Mérida, Yucatán (Times Media Mexico) .-Penalties of between 521 to 695 pesos will be fined for not respecting bike lanes. The Instituto de Movilidad y Desarrollo Urbano Territorial (Institute of Mobility and Urban Territorial Development: IMDUT) informed that the penalties for not respecting the new bicycle lanes that have been built in various points of Merida, will be applied gradually, as the works are enabled.

The fines would be between 521 and 695 pesos, detailed the agency; although it specified that they will carry out an information and awareness campaign on the use of these new infrastructures.

More than imposing penalties or fines, “the Plan de Infraestructura de Ciclovías para Mérida (Bike Path Infrastructure Plan for Mérida), seeks that to make all the actors aware of how these changes to the use of the roads will operate,” said the IMDUT.

Currently the works are 70 percent complete, but some cyclists have already begun to use the bike lanes, especially on Paseo Montejo. Contrary to the opinion of several sectors, the official assured that the project is not improvised, has the endorsement of several experts and organizations, and has been contemplated before in other projects.

It is stipulated that the penalties range from six to eight Units of Actualization Measurement (UMA), which is equivalent in fines to an amount between 521.28 and 695.04 pesos.

However, the IMDUT emphasized that before the pilot tests have begun, and that they will carry out a socialization and promotion campaign on how the new road infrastructure works will operate.