Essentials for Sustainable Urban Transport in Brazil's Large Metropolitan Areas


Book Description

Four pillars for sound development and long-term sustainability of the urban transport sector in large metropolitan areas.Before financing major urban transport projects, decisionmakers should attempt to put in place the basic elements for long-term sustainability of the sector. Specifically, contends Rebelo, each large metropolitan area in Brazil should incorporate into its urban transport strategy, and pursue vigorously, the following four-point agenda:Create a regional transport coordination commission in charge of coordinating policies among federal, state, and municipal governments, giving highest priority to major urban transport investments in the metropolitan region and promoting modal integration - all to the end of improving the sector's economic efficiency and long-term sustainability.Adopt an integrated land use, urban transport, and air quality strategy that provides a framework in which the community and decisionmakers can evaluate future urban transport investments and policies.Enact into law formal financing mechanisms that would ensure that long-run variable costs of urban transport systems are covered by operating and non-operating revenues from the systems and by appropriate user charges. Promote private sector participation in the operation, maintenance, and construction of urban transport systems - through concessions or management contracts - as a way to lessen the financial burden on the government.This paper - a product of the Infrastructure and Urban Development Division, Latin America and the Caribbean, Country Department I - is part of a larger effort in the department to assist Brazilian metropolitan regions in improving the level of service and financial sustainability of their urban transport systems.




Essentials for Sustainable Urban Transport in Brazil's Large Metropolitan Areas


Book Description

August 1996 Four pillars for sound development and long-term sustainability of the urban transport sector in large metropolitan areas. Before financing major urban transport projects, decisionmakers should attempt to put in place the basic elements for long-term sustainability of the sector. Specifically, contends Rebelo, each large metropolitan area in Brazil should incorporate into its urban transport strategy, and pursue vigorously, the following four-point agenda: * Create a regional transport coordination commission in charge of coordinating policies among federal, state, and municipal governments, giving highest priority to major urban transport investments in the metropolitan region and promoting modal integration -- all to the end of improving the sector's economic efficiency and long-term sustainability. * Adopt an integrated land use, urban transport, and air quality strategy that provides a framework in which the community and decisionmakers can evaluate future urban transport investments and policies. * Enact into law formal financing mechanisms that would ensure that long-run variable costs of urban transport systems are covered by operating and non-operating revenues from the systems and by appropriate user charges. * Promote private sector participation in the operation, maintenance, and construction of urban transport systems--through concessions or management contracts--as a way to lessen the financial burden on the government. This paper -- a product of the Infrastructure and Urban Development Division, Latin America and the Caribbean, Country Department I -- is part of a larger effort in the department to assist Brazilian metropolitan regions in improving the level of service and financial sustainability of their urban transport systems.




Manual para el desarrollo de ferrocarriles urbanos


Book Description

A nivel global, ciudades buscan desarrollar soluciones de transporte asequibles, ecológicas y socialmente responsables que puedan satisfacer las necesidades de conectividad de las crecientes poblaciones metropolitanas y respaldar el futuro desarrollo económico y urbano. Cuando los sistemas ferroviarios urbanos se planifican e implementan adecuadamente como parte de una red de transporte público más amplia, éstis pueden brindar vías rápidas de movilidad y acceso vital a los centros urbanos desde la periferias. Los servicios ferroviarios urbanos de alto rendimiento, cuando se abordan cuidadosamente en el contexto de un proyecto de desarrollo, pueden ayudar a mejorar la calidad de vida de los ciudadanos brindándoles acceso a oportunidades laborales y servicios esenciales, tanto del entorno urbano inmediato como de comunidades vecinas. Este manual sintetiza y difunde conocimientos sobre planificación, implementación y operación de los proyectos ferroviarios urbanos para: i) destacar la necesidad de realizar estudios tempranos y planificar los proyectos, ii) contribuir a que los proyectos sean más sostenibles (desde el punto de vista económico, social y ambiental); iii) mejorar los beneficios socioeconómicos de los usuarios y el acceso de estos a distintas oportunidades; iv) maximizar el valor de la participación privada, cuando corresponda, y v) fortalecer la capacidad de las instituciones encargadas de la gestión e implementación de los proyectos. Se ofrece experiencia para lidiar con los desafíos técnicos, institucionales y financieros a los que se enfrentan los tomadores de decisiones de proyectos ferroviarios urbanos. Se reúnen los conocimientos especializados del personal del Banco Mundial y el aporte de numerosos especialistas para sintetizar buenas prácticas y recomendaciones basadas en experiencia global que no responden a intereses comerciales, financieros ni políticos, entre otros. El material presentado tiene como objetivo servir de guía imparcial para maximizar el impacto y afrontar los desafíos que conllevan los sistemas ferroviarios urbanos en las ciudades de países desarrollados y en desarrollo. No se brinda un enfoque único, sino que se reconocen las complejidades y los distintos contextos existentes cuando se aborda un proyecto de desarrollo ferroviario urbano; de ese modo, se apoya a las autoridades a prepararse para formular las preguntas adecuadas, analizar las cuestiones clave, llevar a cabo los estudios necesarios, aplicar las herramientas apropiadas y aprender de las buenas prácticas internacionales, todo ello en el oportuno momento del proceso de desarrollo del proyecto.




The Urban Rail Development Handbook


Book Description

Cities across the globe are looking to develop affordable, environmentally friendly, and socially responsible transportation solutions that can meet the accessibility needs of expanding metropolitan populations and support future economic and urban development. When appropriately planned and properly implemented as part of a larger public transportation network, urban rail systems can provide rapid mobility and vital access to city centers from surrounding districts. High-performing urban rail services, when carefully approached as development projects, can help enhance quality of life by giving citizens access to employment opportunities, essential services, urban amenities, and neighboring communities. The purpose of this Handbook is to synthesize and disseminate knowledge to inform the planning, implementation, and operations of urban rail projects with a view towards: -- Emphasizing the need for early studies and project planning; -- Making projects more sustainable (economically, socially, and environmentally); -- Improving socioeconomic returns and access to opportunities for users; -- Maximizing the value of private participation, where appropriate; and -- Building capacity within project implementing and managing institutions This Handbook provides experiential advice to tackle the technical, institutional, and financial challenges faced by decision makers considering urban rail projects. It brings together the expertise of World Bank staff and the input of numerous specialists to synthesize international 'good practices' and recommendations that are independent of commercial, financial political, or other interests. The material presented is intended as an honest-broker guide to maximize the impact and manage the challenges of urban rail systems in cities in both developed and developing countries. Rather than identify a single approach, this Handbook acknowledges the complexities and context necessary when approaching an urban rail development by helping to prepare decision makers to ask the right questions, consider the key issues, perform the necessary studies, apply adequate tools, and learn from international good practice all at the right time in the project development process.




Eco2 Cities


Book Description

This book is a point of departure for cities that would like to reap the many benefits of ecological and economic sustainability. It provides an analytical and operational framework that offers strategic guidance to cities on sustainable and integrated urban development.




Alternative Urban Futures


Book Description

Alternative Urban Futures challenges existing models of urban development and promotes alternative paradigms, processes, and technologies designed to fulfill human needs and limit the harmful impacts of human activities on the environment. The book focuses on how planners and policy makers can develop and manage essential urban infrastructures in ways that support sustainable development in the areas of waste management, water supply and management, energy production and use, building design and construction, land-use, transportation, and food systems. Each chapter features case studies that provide concrete examples of how ecologically and socially responsible urban and sustainable development planning and policy approaches have been successfully implemented in cities around the world. The book is especially effective in its emphasis on recently published statistics and writing supporting new planning and policy recommendations. Each chapter ends with a summary, accompanied by a list of questions that can be addressed with information provided in the text.




Reducing Air Pollution from Urban Passenger Transport


Book Description

October 1998 A policy considered in isolation may be ineffective because of the countervailing impact of other factors. And the success of a policy may itself lead to perverse incentives. Thus it is important to design complementary policies that support the original goal. Controlling air pollution from urban transport requires attention to land use planning, transport needs and modes, and air quality. Air quality is declining in urban areas, in part because of the rapid motorization of societies worldwide. To combat the problem, various pollution control strategies have been used or proposed for urban passenger transport. Heil and Pargal develop a simple framework to analyze these strategies. The virtue of this framework is its simplicity and its separation of factors. The authors examine the point of impact of different policy levers and categorize different instruments in a way that should help policymakers choose among them. The framework explicitly recognizes behavioral incentives, especially the fact that offsetting changes in consumer behavior can often undermine the original intent of particular policies. Among the findings: * Policies aimed at improving transport efficiency often improve air quality at the same time. * But supply-side policies to relieve traffic congestion sometimes conflict with supply-side measures to control air pollution. Improvements in roads and traffic, for example, may increase private motorized traffic conditions, making it difficult to assess the net effect of the improvements on air pollution. * There seems to be considerable scope for low-cost solutions to air quality problems associated with the transport sector. Inexpensive, low-technology solutions, such as establishing bus lanes or paving dirt roads, substantially improve both transport efficiency and air quality. * Behavioral change is difficult when viable transport alternatives are unavailable. A viable public transport system is essential to reduce transport-caused air pollution in densely populated areas. * Fuel and emission standards should become stricter over time. Standards should be gradually ratcheted up to give domestic auto industries the incentive to develop and adopt cleaner technology. This paper-a product of Infrastructure and Environment, Development Research Group-is part of a larger effort in the group to study the impact of motorization on air pollution. Sheoli Pargal may be contacted at [email protected].




Indian Transport Towards the New Millennium


Book Description

Presents Performance And Policy Analysis Of Indian Transport Sector-An Overview Of General Aspects Of Transport Sectors-Performance Of-Railways, Roads, Airways And Water Ways And The Latest Trends In Energy Consuption And Environmental Emissions. Divided Into 3 Parts And Has 12 Chapters And 2 Appendices.