Curitiba, Brazil: City transformation with bus transit

Curitiba is an example of a city where urban planners recognized beforehand that the city could develop well and more efficiently around pre-planned city infrastructure. The city was starting to grow in a radial manner, and this was diverted into a linear fashion of growth by integrating public transit and mixed land-use.

Curitiba is now a compact, sustainable and inclusive city.

4.1.1 Context

Curitiba, located in Southern Brazil, has a current population of more than 1.8 million (2015) and is distributed over an area of about 430 sq.m and a total metropolitan area population of over 3.2 million (IGBE estimate, 2010). Around 1966, Curitiba came up with "Curitiba Master Plan" and parallel to it, created a planning institute, “Instituto de Pesquisa e Planejamento Urbano de Curitiba (IPPUC)”, to develop, supervise and also periodically update the Master Plan. Transportation system plays an important role in the molding of this Master Plan.

It is a system of bus ways along the five “structural axes” complemented by “direct” express service on parallel arterial roads, and by an extensive feeder bus network.

4.1.2 BRTS in Curitiba

The BRT is the heart of the transportation system in Curitiba, based on which the city grew linearly.

The first BRT line was opened in 1974. This system is based on the "structural axes" or the corridors of the city. Approximately at the distance of one block from each side of the central bus-way/service road, a one-way traffic road with three or four lanes is developed for use by private vehicles. On the block between the bus-way and the main traffic roads, high density mixed-use development has been proposed, on either side. This land-use form creates a high demand for public transport, hence the current, efficient use of the bus-way.

4.1.3 TOD in Curitiba

There is a typical land-use pattern adopted for increased efficiency. The policies include allowing only high rise (10-20 storey) and mixed-use development along the corridors. Land within two blocks of the bus-way has been zoned and planned for mixed commercial-residential uses. The residential buildings taper with distance from the bus routes. This accounts for increased walkability. The density gradually decreases, buildings become shorter, and land-use predominantly becomes residential towards the feeder corridors. The public transportation system provides a hierarchy bus service types, which include city bus-ways, inter-district express service and feeder network, all operated under an integrated tariff system.

4.1.4 Impact

The impact can be measured by the number of travelers commuting by public transit and by the average distance residents travel.

In the 1970s, about 7% commuted by public transit while in 2006 almost 75% used public transit to commute to work. This is equal to 23,000 passengers per hour.

4.1.5 Shortcomings

In recent years Curitiba’s BRT is facing issues due to road accidents, opposition to high fares and thereby decrease in ridership due to URBS (the city agency in charge of managing the system) failing to adapt to changes in usage patterns and evolving demographics.

Curitiba’s planning method has not dealt with lower income groups, leaving them with no choice but to establish illegal settlements in the absence of affordable housing.

The existing planning interventions that Curitiba accounts for, public parks and green spaces, pedestrian streets, preservation of the historic district, is inaccessible to many of the suburban (and usually lower income) residents.