Colombia TOD NAMA Pilot Projects Primed for Implementation

Pilot projects are meant to inform and inspire replication. In the last two decades, Bogota’s TransMilenio Bus Rapid Transit system sparked interest in and demand for BRT systems across the country, and led to development of a national policy on urban public transport that funds 40-70% of local systems costs. Lessons from the TOD NAMA pilots will do the same, informing both national policy recommendations and finance mechanisms that will support scale-up of TOD and realization of the NAMA’s ambitious GHG reduction goals.

Over the term of the Technical Cooperation period, CIUDAT worked closely with four cities that had been selected for the development of catalytic local TOD projects: Cali, Manizales, Medellin and Pasto. Staff visited each city, accompanied at times by CCAP, to reiterate the concepts and scope of the Colombia TOD NAMA Support Project, and to identify, analyse and refine potential catalytic projects for which local government could seek CIUDAT support. Early on, Cali, Manizales and Pasto confirmed their interest in participating in the project. However, Medellin decided to shift priorities from its originally proposed project (Entre Orillas