Alumni Spotlight
Nathaly Torregroza leads Bogotá strategy for Vision Zero
Nathaly Torregroza is a DRSC Alumnus from 2019. Between January 2021 and July 2023, she worked as Head of the Road Safety Office for the Mobility Secretariat of Bogotá where she led the city’s strategy to implement Vision Zero and the Safe System Approach, both key aspects of the Annual Delft Road Safety Course. The aim of the strategy is to promote sustainability, modal shift, and create an urban environment designed to prevent road traffic death and serious injury, especially for the most vulnerable of road users.
As part of her role, Nathaly was responsible for implementing Bogotá’s Speed Management Program. This included setting a maximum speed limit of 50 km/hr on main roads, 40 km/hr on commercial roads, and 30 km/hr on residential or school roads – along with implementing specific infrastructure, enforcement, and communication actions. According to the World Resources Institute (WRI) “Bogotá’s speed agenda had such impressive success that the National Road Safety Agency established a 50 km/hr. speed limit in all Colombian cities through the 2251 Julián Esteban Road Safety Law.”
The success of Bogotá’s Speed Management Program is now also used as an example throughout the world.
In addition, through her role, Nathaly was involved in the leading the city’s Plazoleta’s Program – an initiative created in 2018 that centers on revitalizing, transforming, and creating public spaces that emphasize pedestrian circulation, presence, and safety. The initiative aims to enrich the urban landscape by adapting neglected or underused road spaces and providing citizens with enjoyable spaces that promote social interactions, create new socio-cultural dynamics, and facilitate exploration of the city through accessible and well-designed streets that prioritize safety.
In the photos below you can see the end result of transformations at Plazoleta Galerías, Plazoleta Patio Bonito, and Plazoleta Verbenal that were implemented under Nathaly’s leadership in 2022 and 2023. To make these projects a reality, the Mobility Secretariat of Bogotá generated almost 3000 square meters of safe pedestrian spaces, improved 20 intersections, and created 40 pedestrian sidewalks.
The implementation of both initiatives had the support of Bloomberg Philanthropies Initiative for Global Road Safety (BIGRS).
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Alumni Spotlight: Nathaly Torregroza, Colombia
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In addition, through her role, Nathaly was involved in the leading the city’s Plazoleta’s Program – an initiative created in 2018 that centers on revitalizing, transforming, and creating public spaces that emphasize pedestrian circulation, presence, and safety. The initiative aims to enrich the urban landscape by adapting neglected or underused road spaces and providing citizens with enjoyable spaces that promote social interactions, create new socio-cultural dynamics, and facilitate exploration of the city through accessible and well-designed streets that prioritize safety.
In the photos you can see the transformations of Plazoleta Galerías, Plazoleta Patio Bonito, and Plazoleta Verbenal that were implemented under Nathaly’s leadership in 2022 and 2023. To make these projects a reality, the Mobility Secretariat of Bogotá generated almost 3000 square meters of safe pedestrian spaces, improved 20 intersections, and created 40 pedestrian sidewalks.
