Passerelle Pérez Velasco, Pedestrian bridge in San Sebastián, La Paz, Bolivia

Pasarela Pérez Velasco is a pedestrian bridge in the San Sebastián neighbourhood of central La Paz, crossing above Ismael Montes Avenue. It links the pedestrian streets Evaristo Valle, Comercio and Pichincha, and connects with the Mercado Lanza; the Plaza Pérez Velasco forms one access and the clock area the other. Finished in 2007, it separates pedestrian flows from vehicle traffic on the avenue below.

The bridge opened in 2007 as part of a larger city initiative to tackle growing traffic problems in this area. It was built to improve movement for people crossing this busy central zone.

The sector around the bridge is known as La Pérez, after Lucio Pérez Velasco, and the bridge inherited the name. Its two ends work as meeting points: the Plaza Pérez Velasco side at Calle Evaristo Valle and the clock area opposite. Nearby Calle Linares and Calle Sagárnaga concentrate tourism shops.

The bridge concentrates pedestrian traffic in one route, separating walkers from vehicles and eliminating crosswalks on Ismael Montes Avenue. Its two accesses are Plaza Pérez Velasco, from Evaristo Valle street, and the clock area on the opposite side. It is used at all hours, so expect crowds at both ends.

The bridge generated discussion when it first opened because its modern design seemed to sit uneasily within the historic colonial district. Over time it has become a practical solution that thousands of people use daily to move through downtown.