Streetfilms: Curitiba, the Cradle of Bus Rapid Transit

Since adopting its master plan in 1968, Curitiba, Brazil has become a beacon for inventive urban planning and
public transportation. The city’s pioneering Bus Rapid Transit system inspired the implementation of BRT in many other cities, including TransMilenio in Bogotá, Colombia; Metrovia in Guayaquil, Ecuador; as well as the Orange Line in Los Angeles.

In this Streetfilm, former Curitiba mayor Jaime Lerner talks about the origins of his city’s BRT and the expansion that followed. Curitiba’s current planners also discuss how they’re improving the system to keep it modern and functioning at the
capacity of a typical subway system. The city is currently
experimenting with smart traffic lights to prioritize buses and with new passing lanes on the dedicated BRT routes. They’re even
constructing a new bus route that will run parallel to a linear park and 18km of bike
lanes.

ALSO ON STREETSBLOG

Streetfilms: A Look at Bus Rapid Transit in L.A.

By Brad Aaron |
Nick Whitaker files this first in a series of Streetfilms on transportation for Streetsblog Los Angeles. Here, we hear from LA City Council Member Wendy Greuel, Director of LA County Regional Transit Planning Rex Gephardt, and Executive Director of the Transit Coalition, Bart Reed, on how the city’s burgeoning Bus Rapid Transit system can be […]
STREETFILMS

Moving Beyond the Automobile: Bus Rapid Transit

By Elizabeth Press |
Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) provides faster and more efficient service than an ordinary bus system. While a proper BRT route operates like a surface subway, the cost is much lower. In the latest installment of “Moving Beyond the Automobile,” Streetfilms explains the key features of bus rapid transit around the world and how BRT helps […]

Streetfilms: Parisian Bus Rapid Transit

By Brad Aaron |
For the third installment in her series of Paris, France Streetfilms, Elizabeth Press checks out Le Mobilien, the Parisian version of Bus Rapid Transit. Le Mobilien features curbside and onboard bus arrival info, mid-street boarding kiosks, a MetroCard-esque payment system, and — perhaps most crucial to its success — lanes that are physically separated from […]

Streetfilms: Car-Free in Curitiba

By Brad Aaron |
A key corridor in a large city is cited as a prime spot to replace auto traffic with people-friendly space. Local leaders move on the idea and, once underway, the physical transition comes quickly. Cars are supplanted by street furniture and people. Critics complain, fearing negative impact on area business. If this sounds familiar, it’s […]

This Week in Livable Streets Events

By Brad Aaron |
Bike Month has officially come and gone, but in Brooklyn the festivities continue into June with BikeBKLN, which leads this week’s upsurge in activity on the Streetsblog Calendar. Here are the highlights. Monday: The Transportation Alternatives Brooklyn Committee has a full BikeBKLN schedule planned. Two events are today: Bike From Work Day snacks on the […]