Claudia López, the former mayor of Bogotá, has scrutinized the performance of the current mayor, Carlos Fernando Galán, regarding significant mobility projects in the city. She claims the current administration has failed to implement initiatives that were already funded or in the bidding process during her tenure.
The critique was expressed on López’s X account, following a visit by President Abelardo de la Espriella to the First Line of the metro construction sites. López pointed out that after two and a half years of Galán’s administration, neither Line 2 of the metro nor the new Calle 13 has been contracted. Additionally, she raised concerns about the Cable Potosí project in Ciudad Bolívar, stating that the district has stalled plans to connect the Metro station at Calle 26 with the upper neighborhoods of Santa Fe and La Candelaria.
Despite acknowledging the 82.33% completion rate of Line 1 of the metro as of August 31, 2026, López attributed this progress to the decisions made by previous administrations and insisted that the current administration must finalize new projects to expand Bogotá’s transportation network.
In her comments, López noted that the governments of Juan Manuel Santos and Enrique Peñalosa funded and contracted Line 1 of the metro. She added that during her tenure, around 30% of the work was completed, and that her administration, in conjunction with the government of Iván Duque, left Line 2 of the metro, the new Calle 13, the expansion of the Autopista Norte, and the intervention of Carrera Séptima financed and in the bidding process.
López criticized Galán for failing to contract both Line 2 and Calle 13, emphasizing that only work on the Autopista Norte and part of Carrera Séptima has commenced. She asserted that both the national government and the district administration must finance the construction of Line 3 and advance planning for Line 4, which should align with concluding projects that were already in the bidding phase.
One of López’s primary concerns also focused on the planned second cable car for Ciudad Bolívar. She claimed that the district has not contracted Cable Potosí, despite her administration having prepared the initiative. Reports indicate that Cable Potosí is only 1.93% complete due to various contractual and land acquisition issues, with construction suspended until October 2026.
In contrast, the San Cristóbal Cable is reportedly at 92.89% completion and is expected to be handed over to TransMilenio in September, with public service anticipated to commence in December 2026. López also mentioned that the Cable Reencuentro-Monserrate project has faced delays and scrutiny due to its potential impact on the historic center.
The critiques from López came after a site visit where Galán, De la Espriella, and Leonidas Narváez, general manager of the Empresa Metro de Bogotá, toured stations along the metro line. Galán emphasized that the metro is a city project rather than one of a single administration, stating, “More than 15,000 people from across the country are building the Metro.” De la Espriella reiterated the federal commitment to finishing Line 1 and advancing Lines 2 and 3.
Source: www.infobae.com
