Medellin Debuts New ‘Pico-y-Placa’ Driving Restrictions Starting January 17

Medellin officially confirmed today (January 13) that it will switch to a two-digit “pico y placa” driving restriction scheme – from 5 am to 8 pm daily — starting Monday, January 17, initially for a “pedagogic” period, until January 31.

Cars with plate numbers ending in 6 or 9 are restricted starting Monday, switching to numbers 2 and 3 on Tuesday, and so on (see chart, above).

Area Metropolitana de Valle de Aburra (AMVA, the metro-Medellin government coordinating agency) actually announced the new policy, indicating that the other neighboring municipalities north and south of Medellin likewise aim to adopt this scheme.

Initially, vehicles traveling on Las Palmas highway and the La 33 connection to Avenida Regional, plus the entire length of Avenida Regional, plus the La Iguana highway and its laterals (between Carrera 63 and Carrerra 80) will be exempted from controls, as will rural areas of Medellin, according to the announcement.