Curitiba [in motion]

Curitiba, PR, Brazil

By Julianna Galvao
mobility, connectivity, accessibility, citizenship

To analyze the connectivity between public transportation and public spaces in Curitiba, as well as citizens initiatives in such spaces

1) I started this project to analyze the connectivity between public transportation and public spaces in Curitiba, but it evolved to something else, related to citizens participation in different process of the city, as well as the physical and social inequality related to the public transportation system.

“The city has failed to integrate its growing suburbs into a coherent regional plan. As a result, most of the planning interventions that Curitiba is known for – public parks and green spaces, pedestrian streets, preservation of the historic district – are not accessible to hundreds of thousands of suburban (and usually lower-income) residents.” (Halais, 2012)

2) Curitiba built its reputation as an urban planning model thanks to its transportation system, but now, it is the Brazilian state capital with the highest ratio of automobiles per inhabitant, and its bike lanes remain largely underused. A report from 2014, revealed that the BRT usage has decreased by 14 million rides in the past four years, or 4.3 percent. For this reason, I decided to investigate the BRT system, to explore the real conditions of this system on the ground, mapping the connectivity between the bus routes and public spaces in the city.

3) BRT (Bus Rapid Transit): the first line was implemented in 1974, it gradually worked its way into the livelihoods of residents. In 1979, new routes were added and it began to show its full potential. By 1993, it was carrying 1.5 million passengers a day. Currently, the city is trying to renew itself with a proposal to revise the Master Plan and the Public Transportation guidelines, with a Participatory Planning process, thus, involving the community.

4) To visualize the connectivity of the public transportation system with public and open spaces, this was created map, where it is possible to perceive that the central areas, as well as the large parks, are well connected and served by the public system. In the remote areas, the suburbs, with smaller public spaces, the bus lines are scarce or nonexistent – presenting no connectivity at all.

5) I started to look at how other means of transportation might be helping in the connectivity of these areas. Therefore, I considered the growing implementation of bike lanes as a potential means of transportation, also due to the fact that these lines began to be implemented by the claim of the residents for a more inclusive and diverse public transportation system in the city.

“ Today, there are 112 km of existing cycling lanes, however, the projection is for 400 km, to meet the almost 5,000 km of roads for cars present in the city’s urban layout. The principle is the connection between the cycling lanes, and when a particular street or avenue needs a requalification, reurbanization, adaptation, or remodeling, it is useful to insert the bike path or shared pedestrian circulation. ” (IPPUC)

6) When comparing the connectivity of bike lanes with parks and public spaces, surprisingly I noticed that these are somehow well connected. Although, the expansion is in its third phase, the gap is the connectivity of the bike lanes to each other, that would create a network involving the whole city.

7) Finally, everything was contrasted in one map, in order to understand the real situation of mobility and connectivity in the city. Surprisingly, the two means of transport seem to complement each other, but at the same time it is possible to identify some discontinuities and areas with any type of transportation system at all, whether public or not. As well as some public spaces without any kind of bus line to serve them or bike lanes reaching them.

8) To endorse this analysis, the median income of the residents was added, to better understand the expansion and implementation in the neighborhoods of the public transportation system, as well as to highlight which areas are not being served by such. Bringing a point of discussion about which areas are in need of an expansion of this system.

9) So, I came to this map, highlighting the neighborhoods that are not served by any type of public transportation, and I contrast it with the median income map. The result was that, of course, the low-income areas are those not served by public transportation and often without bike lanes.

10) The bus routes are buffered according to the maximum walking time considered ideal for a person to reach a public transportation system, thus, showing the areas that are not served by this system.

11) With these maps, the goals are, initially, to make them visible to the community, so that people would be able to understand the reality in which they live and claim for their rights. Due to the thesis process, I’m already in contact with some residents organizations, initiatives, collectives and others. So, I’ve created an online map, on Carto, to pass on the information to these people. Also, there is a Master Plan review, with participatory planning, scheduled for next year, and I believe that these maps can be used as tools for discussion or an enter point for citizens claims.

Third, in 2015 the residents created a project called Aqui Poderia Ser (Here it Could be), where public spaces, vacant lots and abandoned buildings began to be mapped out by the residents in order to identify potential spaces to be used according to the needs of the community. The project consisted in taking a picture in the place, with a hashtag indicating what the place could be. Due to the lack of staff to update these hashtags and map them, the project was suspended, but now, with this interactive map, identifying potential sites (the ones that are not connected and or served by public transportation, for example) as well as places that need more attention and were not identified by the citizens so far, would be a good opportunity to keep this project going.