Bogota and Beyond: A New Model for Urban Planning and Development

Enrique Peñalosa has become internationally recognized as a political leader and visionary who "walks the walk" regarding issues of social equity, sustainability, and civic participation. As mayor of Bogota from 1998 to 2001, he oversaw the transformation of a major city beset by many of the problems that face other cities in the developing world: stark disparities in income, disenfranchised citizens, traffic congestion, pollution, and more.

Since serving as Bogota’s mayor, Peñalosa has spoken on his approach to urban revitalization at international conferences and major universities around the world. He has also advised national and local governments on urban issues in Central and South America, Africa, India, China, and Southeast Asia. He is currently a Senior Fellow at the Institute for Transportation and Development Policy in New York City.

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Enrique Peñalosa Back as Bogotá’s Mayor. Can He Do It Again?

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After a 15-year hiatus, Enrique Peñalosa is beginning a new term as mayor of Bogotá, Colombia. Peñalosa’s leadership during his first three-year term has been a global inspiration for cities. His administration reclaimed sidewalks from cars, created dozens of miles of new bikeways, and launched TransMilenio, setting a new standard for high-capacity bus rapid transit. Since he left office, […]

Streetfilms: “A City Is a Means to a Way of Life”

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Manhattan on the Move ConferenceEdited by Nick Whitaker Running time: 6 minutes 52 seconds At last October’s Manhattan Transportation Policy Conference, convened by Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer, people from every neighborhood in Manhattan gathered to discuss a vision for the future of transportation in New York. In his keynote address, Enrique Peñalosa, the former […]

Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About BRT

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  The Tri-State Transportation Campaign has a new online "clearinghouse" of information on Bus Rapid Transit. From the Mobilizing the Region blog: The clearinghouse explains what bus rapid transit (BRT) is, how it compares to other modes, how it can be implemented in suburban and urban contexts, and how it can anchor transit-oriented development. The […]

Foreign Correspondent: Bogotá’s Lack of “Vibrancy”

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Before Enrique Peñalosa took over as Mayor of Bogotá, Colombia, this thriving downtown plaza was a decrepit, crime-ridden, traffic-congested slum. Peñalosa cleared out the old shacks, banned private motor vehicles, launched the Transmilenio bus service, created the plaza, and returned this public space to his city’s people. Granted, the neighborhood pictured above clearly lacks the First […]