Curitiba

Curitiba is the capital city of the Brazilian state of Paraná. In 2001 it had a population of approximately 1,600,000 people. Its metropolitan area comprises 26 municipalities with a total population of 2.7 million (2000 census) http://www.curitiba-parana.com/geografia-mapas/mapa-regiao-curitiba.htm.

Planning

Curitiba is held as a paragon of urban planning excellence. The city has a notably efficient transportation system, including devotion of lanes on major streets for a bus rapid transit system. The buses are long, split into three sections (bi-articulated), and stop at designated elevated tubes, complete with handicapped access. The system, used by 85% of Curitiba's population, is similar to the TransMilenio in Bogotá, Colombia. The city is also remarkably successful in preserving and caring for its green areas, boasting 54 m² of green space per inhabitant.

Related Topics:
Urban planning - Bus rapid transit - TransMilenio - Bogotá - Colombia

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By the 1960s, Curitiba's population had ballooned to 430,000, and some residents feared that the growth in population threatened to drastically change the character of the city. In 1964, Mayor Ivo Arzua solicited proposals for urban design. Architect Jaime Lerner, who later became mayor, led a team from the Universidade Federal do Paraná that suggested strict controls on urban sprawl, a reduction in traffic in the downtown area, preservation of Curitiba's Historic Sector, and a convenient and affordable public transit system. This plan, known as the Curitiba Master Plan, was adopted in 1968. Lerner closed Rua XV de Novembro, one of the main streets, to traffic and adopted a new road design to minimize traffic. This design, called the Trinary Road System, uses two one-way streets moving in opposite directions which surround a smaller, two-lane street where the express buses have their exclusive lane.

Related Topics:
1960 - 1964 - Jaime Lerner - Universidade Federal do Paraná - Rua XV de Novembro

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In the 1980s, the Rede Integrada de Transporte - RIT (Integrated Transport Network) was created, allowing transit to any point in the city by paying just one fare. At the same time, the city began a project called the "Faróis de Saber" (Lighthouses of Knowledge). These Lighthouses are free educational centers which include libraries, Internet access, and other cultural resources.

Related Topics:
Libraries - Internet

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Today, Curitiba is considered one of the best examples of urban planning world-wide. In June 1996, the chairman of the Habitat II summit of mayors and urban planners in Istanbul praised Curitiba as "the most innovative city in the world."

Related Topics:
1996 - Habitat II - Istanbul

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