Smart Solutions for traffic in Lima, Peru The Netherlands Embassy in Lima, Peru, has a long history of engagement in Sustainable Cities, of which Sustainable Mobility is a core axis. The Embassy's main focus for Sustainable Mobility is promoting bicycles as the foundation for sustainable mobility opportunities.The Embassy’s track record in this subject includes organizing a yearly bicycle event attended by 4,800 guests last year, stimulating bicycle use by offering cost-benefit analyses to employers and presenting potential improvements in Lima’s mobility at different platforms. In 2019, the Dutch embassy in Lima will focus on Smart Solutions for traffic in metropolitan areas in Peru.ContextThe capital's enormous traffic jams cause economic losses for the local private sector. Lima's congestion costs an estimated 8 to 10 billion USD per year, accounting for nearly 5% of Peru's GDP. The urbanization rate in Lima remains high, which leads to an estimated growth rate of 2% per year for the city. Economic growth is projected for the upcoming year. If no decisive action is taken soon, this combination is expected to result in even more traffic congestion than now. This decisive action should partly be increasing bicycle use.Research for the embassy in Peru has shown that about 30% of Peruvian employees work within biking distance of their home, which is less than 7 km.The combination of these facts, together with the physical characteristics of Lima: it is a relatively flat city with very little rain per year and a moderate climate, makes promoting the bicycle possibly the best solution to Lima’s traffic problems.Lima has taken a few steps in the right direction considering the stimulation of bicycle transport. Bicycle paths are being constructed, the new bicycle law has just passed parliament, and bicycle rental places are increasing. Additionally, more smart initiatives are emerging in terms of electric transportation. An example is Movo (electric transport), part of Cabify. However, the bicycle revolution is far from complete. Many people who might consider cycling as a means of transportation are reluctant to do so because of traffic safety concerns due to poor infrastructure and the failure of some people to follow traffic rules. Another factor that discourages cycling is the lack of supporting infrastructure, such as bike parking facilities and showers at workplaces. Bicycle paths are not standardized either, and the sub-municipalities are each responsible for their cycle paths, resulting in many cycle paths ending where the sub-municipality’s border ends instead of being a connected, city-wide network.Jorge Muñoz, the former mayor of the sub-district where the embassy is located, has been elected as the mayor of Lima. One of his main priorities is to reduce traffic congestion in the city. At the same time, the World Bank is about to start a project in Lima to construct 12,500 km of bicycle paths. The combination of these steps towards more bicycle transport in Lima calls for stepping up the Dutch efforts as well, for the Netherlands to remain influential and keep its position to contribute to less traffic congestion, hence less economic loss and improved quality of life for the inhabitants of Lima.Sustainable Transport promotion is in line with the Embassy’s yearly plan, as is the promotion of bicycle use since it not only contributes directly to the Peruvian local economy but also stimulates Dutch investment in the Sustainable Development or Urban planning possibilities that are present in Lima.