Rio Spending on Bus Lanes, Metro To Break Gridlock

摘要

Gridlock in Brazil's urban centers is an onerous fact of daily life, and nowhere are traffic arteries more clogged than in Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo. Congestion has only become worse in this century, thanks to a strong economy and social programs that have elevated millions into the middle class. Car sales have been booming. Roadbuilding has not kept pace, especially in Rio, which has a population of 6.3 million. After winning office in 2008, Mayor Eduardo Paes began making good on a campaign promise to upgrade transportation infrastructure. The city has been on a road and transit building spree, resurfacing dilapidated roads, adding a new metro line and building out Paes' pet transit strategy: the bus rapid transit (BRT) system.