San Luis Potosí: Participating with “San Luis by Bike”

"San Luis by Bike" is a democratic innovation initiative of the Municipal Government of San Luis Potosí that connects sustainable mobility with participatory governance. The program emerged to transform the city’s horizontal growth model, where 60.9% of daily trips are made by private vehicle, affecting quality of life and the environment.

The initiative involves citizens from the diagnosis phase through to budgetary decision-making. Through 258 Citizen Participation Boards and the Social Development Council, residents define the priorities of the Cycling Mobility Network Master Plan. A distinctive feature of the initiative is the citizen Evaluation Committee, which selects bicycle beneficiaries based on criteria of equity and commuting needs, ensuring full transparency.

The project stands out for its inclusive approach: it achieved 45.3% participation by women and 4.5% participation by members of Indigenous peoples (Náhuatl, Tének, and Otomí), breaking gender and ethnic barriers in bicycle use. It also incorporates a cultural identity dimension through the SLAB bicycle (San Luis Amable in Bike), locally designed with symbols of Potosí culture as part of the 2025 American Capital of Culture program.

Through strategic partnerships with the Mercurio Foundation and the Urban Rights collective, the program not only provides bicycles but also professionalizes mobility through mandatory training in road safety and traffic regulations. With an initial investment of 3.6 million pesos, the strategy has activated 194 neighborhoods, prioritizing areas with high rates of gender-based violence and social instability, turning the bicycle into a tool for peacebuilding and social cohesion.

More information:
https://sitio.sanluis.gob.mx/SanLuisPotoSi/SanLuisEnBici

https://www.oidp.net/docs/repo/doc1912.pdf