Playa del Carmen, Q.R. — Authorities say the use of micromobility alternatives in Playa del Carmen will double this year. Authorities also say that the city does not have the regulations or infrastructure to accommodate the growth.
Javier Reséndiz Fernández de Lara, the Coordinator of Bicineta, a program to encourage the use of bicycles around the city, says micromobility is becoming a popular choice given the poor quality of urban transportation options. He also pointed out that infrastructure in Playa del Carmen is not adequate to accommodate this new mobility boom.
According to Fernández de Lara, official figures show a sustained increase in the use of these new modes of transportation suggesting this trend is due not only to their functionality, but also to the growing demand for more practical alternatives for everyday mobility.
However, he cautioned that this boom has not been accompanied by the development of adequate infrastructure or specific regulations for the microbiology alternatives.
He said that many are driven by the affordable availability of electric scooters, bicycles and electric motorcycles as well as manual pedal bikes. He attributes the popular choices to fuel savings, the ease of traveling short distances and the poor quality of urban transportation.
The Bicineta coordinator emphasized that micromobility can contribute to reducing road accidents since most of these vehicles do not reach high speeds. This makes them a safer option for personal mobility, especially in an urban environment with high traffic flow.
However, despite its benefits, Fernández de Lara pointed out that an institutional response is still lacking to guarantee safe spaces and clear regulations. The lack of bike lanes, parking areas and specific regulations limits the potential of micromobility, which could be key to solving some of the municipality’s main transportation challenges.
