3.2 Rio

Question 1

What caused issues in Rio?

Answer 1

• Rising population and migration led to overpopulation and favelas. Rio became increasingly world city in the CBD, attracting elites and industry to the centre and favelas on the outskirts.
• Living standards, public services, slopes, crime and lack of jobs in favelas.
• Road tunnels only real way for transport due to mountainous areas which were expensive or impossible
• No marine life left in the bay, fishing fell by 90% - swimming not advisable due to eutrophication
• Spontaneous settlements formed in peripheral areas and extreme cases of inequality between central and peripheral areas

Question 2

How were housing shortages solved?

Answer 2

• Favela Bairro scheme added which aimed to recognise favelas as neighbourhoods for 140 favelas
• Provided paved and named roads, water, sewage, leisure areas, relocation of high risk channelled rivers.
• Second phase orientated on job creation, education, credit and finance
• IADB loaned $600m
• MA gave $240m
• Scheme also uses as a basis for other areas struggling with favelas
• State helping people become homeowners - giving 100% mortgages over 20 years and building new affordable homes
• Barra da Tujica development 34km along motor way with decentralised middle class to alleviate pressures`

Question 3

How were education issues solved?

Answer 3

• Encouraged volunteers to help teaching, provide extra curricular help, support teachers and upkeep schools
• Ministry of Education granted $900m to help
• Olympic village allows 10000 children free lessons in sports, ICT and English
• University campus made in favela providing 400 people higher education at low cost

Question 4

How were transport and water pollution issues solved?

Answer 4

• Cheap bus fare - 50 cents no matter where
• Cheap metre at 66 cents
• 2 Lines made, both every 5 minutes from CBD to Botafogo and from CBD to west
• New alternate motor ways made to divert and ease traffic congestion and link Barra to the airport

Sewage systems, waste collection all bought with IADB loans to reduce sewage deposited in the bay
-4km of pipes made and take it to be processed, cost $2m

Question 5

What caused the development of Curitiba?

Answer 5

• Population growth 4x since the 60s, wanted to stimulate growth
• Population of 1.7m
• Policy focused on improving transport using public funds but operates as a private businesses
• Narrow buses caused delays and congestions
• Hard to extend electric trolley to new routes
• Hyper inflation

Question 6

What were the features of the bus system

Answer 6

• Reduced downtown traffic
• Much better than alternative underground - $90m compared to $200k / km2 underground
• Buses are long and 3 sections
• One set fare for wherever
• 20 transit stations
• Development focused around the bus routes
• Stations like train stations - pre paid fare, wait in station for bus
• Traffic lights changed to prioritise buses
• 2.3m passengers a day
• Streets pedestrianised
• Designed to encourage middle class to use buses
• Bus routes colour coded into express, inter-neighbour hood, direct line (few stops), feeder, downtown circulator, regular routes, inter hospital and tourism

Question 7

What were the impacts of the bus system?

Answer 7

• Cost issues reduced buses and maintenance
• Overcrowding and frequent traffic jams still occur
• Buses are less than 1% of automobiles in the city as there are 1.2m cars for 1.7m people
• Issues using bicycles as they lack the land for routes