Brazilian cities like Curitiba have become global models for sustainable urban planning, public transit innovation, and walkable communities. From Bus Rapid Transit systems to pedestrian-first design, New Urbanism offers practical solutions to reduce car dependency and improve quality of life.
By Anthony Mendiola
The future of vibrant cities lies in reducing car dependency and embracing sustainable mobility.
What Is Your Neighborhood’s Walk Score?
Suburban sprawl has typically characterized modern cities in North and South America. As private automobiles became commonplace, cities were increasingly designed to accommodate cars rather than people.
Hour-long commutes from suburban “bedroom communities” to city centers became routine.
Think of Los Angeles. What comes to mind?
Freeways? Traffic congestion?
Is L.A. a model for a sustainable metropolis? How could its freeway and transit systems have been designed differently to better serve the population?
Innovation from Brazil: A Global Urban Model
From North to South, cities around the world are seeking ways to increase walking, biking, and alternatives to single-occupancy automobile travel.
What are the alternatives?
Bus Rapid Transit (BRT)
Light Rail Transit (LRT)
Cycling infrastructure
Walkable urban design
Cities like Curitiba (Brazil) and Bogotá (Colombia) are celebrated in urban planning circles for leading the way.
Two visionary leaders — Jaime Lerner (Curitiba) and Enrique Peñalosa (Bogotá) — implemented affordable, high-quality transit systems that helped address traffic congestion, social inequality, and environmental degradation.
Curitiba: A Pioneer in Sustainable Urban Planning
Since 1965, Curitiba has been at the forefront of environmental city planning:
Mass rapid transit systems
Early adoption of green technology
Citywide recycling programs
With strong cultural influences from Italian, Japanese, and Middle Eastern immigrants, Curitiba developed vibrant public plazas and pedestrian-only zones that enhanced civic life.
Jaime Lerner’s Practical Innovations
Jaime Lerner, an engineer who became mayor at 37, introduced simple yet transformative ideas:
Passengers pay before boarding to reduce delays
Level boarding platforms for accessibility
Dedicated bus lanes to avoid traffic conflicts
Lerner famously said:
“We cannot be dependent on the car… The car is like our mother-in-law. We have a good relationship with her, but we cannot let her conduct our lives.”
Curitiba Is Not Utopia
Despite its progressiveness, Curitiba still faces challenges:
High unemployment
Income disparities
Rapid population growth
As people migrated seeking better opportunities, the city struggled to accommodate demand. However, efforts were made to expand sanitation services and improve housing integration for marginalized populations.
Notably:
75% of Curitiba’s population uses Bus Rapid Transit.
Compare that to Phoenix, Arizona — a similarly sized U.S. city — where only 1% use buses.
Curitiba’s BRT model inspired Bogotá’s TransMilenio system.
Bogotá’s TransMilenio reduced travel time, crime, traffic accidents, and pollution within just two years.
Bogotá’s TransMilenio: Measurable Results
According to the Institute for Transportation and Development Policy (ITDP), after just two years, Bogotá’s system achieved:
32% reduction in travel time
50% drop in violent crime citywide
75% reduction in traffic accidents
30% reduction in traffic fatalities
18% improvement in air quality (particulate matter)
30% reduction in noise pollution
Former Mayor Enrique Peñalosa explained:
“You may think pedestrian space is frivolous in a city with poverty problems, but it’s the opposite… Public space is the very least a democratic society should offer its citizens.”
Bike to Work, Bike for Life
Cycling is becoming a daily transportation option — not just recreation.
In the San Francisco Bay Area:
“Almost 40% of commuters live within five miles of their workplace.”
If those commuters biked just one day, more than 60,000 cars would be off the road.
Bogotá’s Ciclovía
Bogotá’s famous Ciclovía Recreativa temporarily closes major streets to vehicles, allowing residents to walk, jog, bike, and enjoy public space safely.
It is not the same as permanent bike lanes (ciclo-rutas). Instead, it transforms city streets into community health and recreation corridors.
The result?
Community engagement
Public health promotion
Family recreation
Safer urban environments
Everything “Old” Is “New” Again
New Urbanism and Walkable Neighborhoods
Visit WalkScore.com and enter your address.
You may discover surprising results.
A Walk Score measures access to:
Public transit
Grocery stores
Restaurants
Parks
Schools
Safe crossings
Car-dependent neighborhoods often feature:
Cul-de-sac street patterns
No transit access
Long signal waits
No nearby amenities
Walk Score promotes healthier, more pedestrian-friendly communities.
“Urban Acupuncture”: Small Changes, Big Impact
Jaime Lerner proposed the idea of urban acupuncture — small, targeted interventions that create ripple effects throughout a city.
Instead of waiting decades for large infrastructure projects:
Redesign a problematic intersection
Revitalize a neglected public square
Improve a congested corridor
The impact can transform surrounding neighborhoods.
The Challenge Ahead
We must rethink:
Car-dependent sprawl
Long commutes
Poor public transportation coverage
Housing disconnected from workplaces
The path forward includes:
Pedestrian-friendly design
Expanded public spaces
Investment in mass transit
“Car-lite” lifestyles
Urban acupuncture proves that small, strategic interventions can transform entire cities.
Dare to embrace a more vibrant, sustainable city.
* Anthony Mendiola have a degree in City Planning from the San Diego State University. He has traveled extensively throughout South America and Europe and speaks English, Spanish and Italian. He is a Brazilian culture lover and currently is learning Portuguese.
FAQ – Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is New Urbanism?
New Urbanism is a planning approach that promotes walkable neighborhoods, mixed-use development, and reduced car dependency.
2. What is Bus Rapid Transit (BRT)?
BRT is a high-capacity bus system operating in dedicated lanes with features similar to rail transit but at lower cost.
3. Why is Curitiba considered a model city?
Curitiba pioneered mass transit, recycling programs, pedestrian zones, and sustainable urban design starting in the 1960s.
4. What is Bogotá’s Ciclovía?
Ciclovía is a program that temporarily closes streets to cars so residents can bike, walk, and exercise safely.
5. How does walkability improve quality of life?
Walkable neighborhoods reduce pollution, increase physical activity, improve public health, and create stronger community connections.
