Rio City Hall Outlines Ciclovia Fix - On the Scene

(ATR) Three reinforced columns will protect the renovated section of the Ciclovia Tim Maia from waves that damaged the original bicycle lane.

Rio de Janeiro City Hall shared the plans for the rebuilding of the collapsed section today, and said a lack of preparedness from the company during the path’s design led to the accident that killed two bikers. Rio municipal works secretary Alexandre Pinto told reporters that studies into the strength of waves from the Atlantic Ocean on the path did not take into account all possible risks to cyclists.

Pinto added that the new structural designs will allow the path to withstand the strongest waves measured in the past 100 years in the area.

"The new columns have four stakes that penetrate two meters into the rock, and the platform, which makes up the track to the bike path, will be anchored to the pillars, making it more solid," Pinto said. "We have begun cleaning the area, and the three pillars hit [by the waves] were demolished and we will be strengthening the foundations of the two external pillars."

Contemat, the company that built the path, will continue with the renovations, but the current project will be overseen by engineers Geo-Rio and the city’s project compliance office. When the project is complete, the city’s operation center will monitor the bike path daily through the installation of cameras and traffic signals.

If the city deems the conditions too risky for bikers to use the path, the traffic signals will notify pedestrians to avoid use. The traffic signals will be installed between the neighborhood of Vidigal and São Conrado. The Vidigal to Ipanema section of the bike path will remain open, as the renovations remain ongoing near São Conrado.

Rio Mayor Eduardo Paes says the bike lane is expected to be open in August for the Olympic Games, but the final approval to open the path depends on a study to be completed by the National Institute of Hydrographic Surveys and the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro. The study is expected to be completed within the next 60 days.

Paes said that the blame for the event was partly political, but mostly caused by a design flaw. Contemat is owned by a family member of the Rio municipal public works secretary Antonio Paulo Viegas Figueira de Mello. This connection was deemed by the city to be dangerous to public works projects, and Paes said that Contemat will no longer be allowed to receive city infrastructure contracts.

"My intent was to declare this company as improper, but this is not an act of political will; it was clear that there was a design error," Paes said to reporters. "It is obvious that the city bears responsibility, and the political blame I pick up deservedly as mayor."

Written by Aaron Bauer in Rio de Janeiro

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