The Impacts of an Urban Cable Car System on Liveability: A Mixed Methods Study in Bogotá, Colombia

Abstract

AbstractCable cars represent an integral element of urban transport systems designed to connect underserved communities in Latin America. However, evaluations of the liveability impacts of cable cars are scarce. The TransMiCable cable car in Colombia connects the peripheral neighbourhoods of Ciudad Bolívar with the integrated public transport system of Bogotá. This study assessed the effect of TransMiCable on domains of liveability, including transport, public open space, social cohesion, local democracy, and security. Urban Transformations and Health: The Case of TransMiCable in Bogotá was a natural experiment involving participatory mixed methods. Household surveys, the Our Voice citizen science research method, and the Ripple Effects Mapping technique were applied to capture baseline measurements before TransMiCable’s inauguration and follow-up measurements afterwards in both intervention and control areas. Following a simultaneous bidirectional approach, quantitative and qualitative data were collected and analysed separately, then merged for interpretation. The mixed methods approach revealed concordance and complementarity among the multiple effects of the TransMiCable intervention across domains of liveability. These impacts included shorter travel times, increased satisfaction with public transport, increased access to parks, perceived reduction in the neighbourhood’s social stigma, increased pride in community, and decreased perceived insecurity. The participatory process facilitated dialogue between community leaders and public sector decision-makers on the ways transportation interventions can improve liveability. This multisectoral engagement enabled a broad understanding of the ongoing transformation of the Ciudad Bolívar area after the implementation of TransMiCable, providing lessons for effectively engaging with local stakeholders to support the sustainability of urban transformations.