After a year, Mérida’s Biciruta is coming back
Mérida Mayor Renán Barrera Concha announced this morning that the Biciruta will return to Paseo de Montejo after a full year’s absence due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The announcement was made via a Facebook live stream in which the mayor announced that the city is hard at work preparing for a March 21 return.
“Our thinking is that we will be able to keep everyone safe because this is an activity that takes place outside and does not require any close contact,” said Barrera Concha.
However, the mayor also said that the Biciruta would only be open to people under the age of 60 and that facemasks will be compulsory.
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The event will be monitored by city employees, which will include local transit police and medical professionals.
Since 2006, on Sunday mornings, large sections of Mérida’s downtown and Paseo de Montejo have been closed to motor vehicle traffic to offer cyclists the chance to roam free on city streets.
The Biciruta is popular with much of Mérida’s population, and especially on cooler overcast days attracts families looking to have some fun and get some exercise.
Over the years, the Biciruta has also been active on select Saturday evenings, as well as in other parts of the city such as Fracc. Las Américas.
The Biciruta will be the latest city event to return after a long hiatus caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Other events such as Noche Mexicana and Mérida en Domingo have also made similar comebacks with reduced attendance and social distancing rules.
Senior Editor Carlos Rosado van der Gracht is a Mexican expedition/Canadian photographer and adventure leader. Born in Mérida, Carlos holds multimedia, philosophy, and translation degrees from universities in Mexico, Canada and Norway.