Monterrey, Nuevo Leon, Mexico. October 29, 2021.- To give visibility to the need to have walkable and safe environments for children, the Movac organization carried out two walks with school communities of San Nicolás and Monterrey, in which their respective Mayors also participated.
The first ‘Day to walk and pedal to school’ tour started around 9:00am. Students, teachers and mothers of the Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla Elementary School in San Nicolás explained to Mayor Daniel Carrillo the risks they face on the way to get to their school.
Luisa Peresbarbosa, director of Movac, pointed out that 75% of students arrive at this elementary school walking, so she called on the authorities to improve the safety on these routes, focusing specifically on children.
“It is very important for governments to consider that children are also street users. We have to respect the budget, the infrastructure and the design of the street, but also the right of children to walk them safely”, said Peresbarbosa.
The most questioned streets by Colonia Hérores de México school community were Montes Berneses Street and Agustín de Iturbide Street, which don’t have lighting or safe pedestrian crossings and where the vehicles always pass at a high speed.
The second walk started at 11:30 a.m. at 5 de Octubre Primary School in the Campana – Altamira area, which was also attended by the school communities of CBTIs 99, Club de Leones and Arturo B. de la Garza, as well as the Regional Mayor Luis Donaldo Colosio and the Secretary of Urban Development of Monterrey, Laura Ballesteros.
“It was very nice to be able to talk with the Mayor and tell him about the dangers of walking in the street, especially regarding the vehicles that speed,” said 12-year-old Lidia, who attends 5 de Octubre Primary School.
During the tour, the participants highlighted the difficulties of crossing the bridge located in Río Nazas and Santos Cantú, pointing out that it is 5 times the size of the street, for which they requested the installation of a safe street-level pedestrian crossing.
After crossing the bridge, Colosio said that it is the car that must adjust to the pedestrian and not the other way around, so he promised to meet the demand of the neighbors.
The walk ended at the Río Nazas and Alfombrilla intersection, where recently Movac organization, alongside FEMSA Foundation, Hello Cities, and boys and girls from the sector, carried out a tactical urban planning intervention. At this point, the Mayor pledged to install permanent infrastructure and officially began his program of 50 safe intersections.
The ‘Day to walk and pedal to school’ during the month of October in schools in at least 40 countries. In Mexico, the initiative is promoted by the Institute of Policies for Transportation and Development, who supported the organization of the event.
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About FEMSA Foundation
In FEMSA Foundation our goal is to create positive impacts on people and communities through social investment projects for sustainability. We make a better future for all by working in three strategic areas: the promotion of efficient resource management for sustainable development, the promotion of the integral development of early childhood and the dissemination of Latin American art and culture. For more information, visit us at www.fundacionfemsa.org or follow us on Facebook (/ FundacionFEMSA) and Twitter (@FundacionFEMSA).
