Sustainable public urban transport systems: The case of Curitiba Author: Andrea Cinquina Lund University International Masters Program in Environmental Studies and Sustainability Sciences LUMES 2006/08 MESM01 Thesis Course [email protected] Supervisor: Prof. Bengt Holmberg Traffic Planning, LHT Lund University Andrea Cinquina Lumes Thesis 2008 Abstract This paper describes the present urban public transportation in the city of Curitiba, Brazil. The city was chosen for this research because of its urban public transport system, which had a major role in urban planning development; this consists of an integrated network of busses, developed in combination with land use, population density and road hierarchy, as a consequence of the Master Plan implemented by the city in the late 60s. The sustainability of the system was analysed, using as the main framework, the United Nations Habitat Agenda recommendations on sustainable transport and applying these criteria to the public transport system of Curitiba, making use of available literature, interviews and observations. From the analyses of the system, it was evident that it achieved positive indicators regarding its sustainability in the criteria of accessibility, economical feasibility and coordination of land use and transport system. However, negative indicators were also evident, that leads to the conclusion that it is not a sustainable system. These aspects were in the criteria of intermodal transportation, disincentives for private motorization traffic and the use of diesel fuel. Keywords: Curitiba; Sustainable public transport; Land use; Public urban transport system; Integrated Transport Network; Urban Planning; Sustainable transport system. Contents List of tables and figures..................................................................................................................................................... 3 1 Introduction............................................................................................................................................................... 4 1.1 Purpose of the paper ........................................................................................................................................ 4 1.2 Thesis outline................................................................................................................................................... 5 2 Background ............................................................................................................................................................... 5 2.1 Brazil ............................................................................................................................................................... 5 2.2 Curitiba............................................................................................................................................................ 5 2.3 History of the city............................................................................................................................................ 6 2.3.1 General data about Curitiba.................................................................................................................. 7 3 Methodology ............................................................................................................................................................. 7 3.1 Limitation ........................................................................................................................................................ 9 3.2 Stakeholders .................................................................................................................................................... 9 The stakeholders of public transport system are represented by the municipality, URBS, IPPUC, users of the system, citizens, private bus companies, COMEC...................................................................................................................... 9 4 The planning of the public transport system ............................................................................................................. 9 4.1 Agencies .......................................................................................................................................................... 9 4.1.1 Metropolitan level agencies: COMEC ................................................................................................... 9 4.1.2 Urban level........................................................................................................................................... 10 4.2 City Planning................................................................................................................................................. 11 4.2.1 The Agache plan .................................................................................................................................. 11 4.2.2 Plano director (Master Plan) ................................................................................................................ 11 4.2.3 Road hierarchy ..................................................................................................................................... 13 4.3 Urban public transport system....................................................................................................................... 13 4.3.1 Historical development ........................................................................................................................ 14 4.4 The public transport system today................................................................................................................. 18 5 Future plans of the city............................................................................................................................................ 21 5.1 Ligeirao.......................................................................................................................................................... 21 5.2 Green line...................................................................................................................................................... 22 5.3 Metro ............................................................................................................................................................. 23 2 Andrea Cinquina Lumes Thesis 2008 6 Theoretical framework............................................................................................................................................ 24 6.1 Defining sustainable transport ....................................................................................................................... 24 6.2 The case of Curitiba....................................................................................................................................... 26 6.3 Habitat II United Nations Conference ........................................................................................................... 26 7 Analysis and Discussion ......................................................................................................................................... 27 7.1 Habitat II United Nation Conference framework applied to Curitiba ................................................... 27 7.1.1 Support an integrated policy approach................................................................................................ 27 7.1.2 Coordinate land use and transport planning ....................................................................................... 29 7.1.3 Encourage the combination of modes of transport .............................................................................. 31 7.1.4 Promote disincentive measures that discourage private motorized traffic .......................................... 32 7.1.5 Promote public transport ..................................................................................................................... 35 7.1.6 Promote use of efficient and low polluting technologies...................................................................... 37 7.1.7 Promote electronic information services ............................................................................................. 41 7.2 Main features to move towards a sustainable public transport system .................................................. 41 7.2.1 Environment......................................................................................................................................... 41 7.2.2 Society.................................................................................................................................................. 42 7.2.3 Economy .............................................................................................................................................. 45 7.2.4 Institution ............................................................................................................................................. 46 8 Further research....................................................................................................................................................... 48 9 Conclusion .............................................................................................................................................................. 48 References........................................................................................................................................................................