The Integrated Brasília project (Brasília Integrada), which is the main urban mobility project in the Brazilian Federal District, has made plans for three new lines connecting with the Pilot Plan: the Green Line (for people coming from Água Claras, Taguatinga and Ceilândia), the Yellow Line (from Planaltina and Sobradinho) and the Orange Line (for residents of Gama and Brazlândia to get to the center of the Federal Capital.
The plan also includes fare integration; the expansion of the Metro with new lines and more trains; and also the Light Rail Vehicle connecting the Juscelino Kubitschek International Airport to the North Wing. The flagship work project within the plans for urban mobility in the 2014 FIFA World Cup™, the Light Rail Vehicle shall take the tourists who arrive at the airport through to the hotel areas and also the proximity of the Mané Garrincha National Stadium.
However, the slow pace in the implementation of the projects is a cause for concern. According to Flávio Dias, a researcher at the Center for Transport Qualifications at the University of Brasília (UnB), “the integration of the fares could have been implemented three years ago. The Government has all the equipment for this. In relation to the Green Line, only part of the work is indeed being constructed”, he queries.
Another reservation is in relation to cycle paths, that should serve to help to ease the traffic, but are being constructed only for leisure and sports use. “This is not being used for the citizen of Brasília to go to work every day”, warns Mr. Dias.
LRV Undefined
In relation to the work on the Light Rail Vehicle of Brasília (LRV), started in 2009 and put on hold on two occasions, the Courts have shown irregularities in the tender itself and also a lack of studies on the environmental impact of the work and the effects on the neighborhood. The new time frame, as agreed on the Responsibility Matrix, marks the commencement of the work (although this also not been complied with) for November 2010.
For Prosecutor Paulo José Farias, from the Prosecution Court for Defense of the City Order of the Prosecution Courts of the Federal District (Ministério Público do DF), there is lack of a stand on the part of the Government: “There is a Ned to know if there is the will to overcome obstacles, reach an agreement and proceed with the work”, he says. In his opinion, the Government has been postponing the decision, but “this semester is critical for the definition about the work”, he warned. At the end of April, it is hoped that the authorities shall present a study and also a new proposal for the tender. This would be the only way to avoid the loss of the work which has already started on W3 South Avenue, he warns.
Approached by the team of reporters, the Secretary for Transport of the Brazilian Federal District, José Walter Vasquez, was not found to comment on the current situation of the work.
With investments of around R$ 1.5 billion (€ 656.41 million), the LRV may, however, not bring the benefits as promised for transporting the population of the Brazilian Federal District. In the opinion of the researcher of the UnB, the system is not appropriate for the small demand of passengers that travel between the airport and W3 North avenue, passing along W3 South avenue. “It is a bit like using a bus to transport two children to school”, he compares. In his opinion, the cost of the Light Rail Vehicle is too high for a project in an area which has been considered as Heritage of Humanity and which therefore has restrictions on growth, on top of the current limits.
“It is not a benefit for society, and not for the World Cup either, because [this work] shall not be ready in time”, predicts the researcher, who suggests alternatives such as a Light Vehicle on Tyres, articulated buses and also an increase and a specialization in the taxi fleet, with services such as luxury and popular taxis, to cater to different segments of the population. For Mr. Dias, these solutions would suffice to improve transport in the section which has been earmarked for the Light Rail System.
A New Hearing for the Light Rail Vehicle
On 24 April, the Government and the Prosecution Office meet for the second time to discuss the future of the Light Rail project. According to Mr. Farias, at the hearing held in January, with the participation of several representatives of the Government of the Federal District and also the local Metro Company (responsible for the work), it was said that “the Government did not know if the work on the Light Rail Vehicle would proceed, due to the difficulties in the tender”.
The irregularities involve suspected favoritism in the choice of the companies of the Brastram group for the execution of this work, and also the lack of studies on environmental impact, as the train would pass through an area of vulnerable vegetation close to the zoo. In addition, the work would remove some parking spaces along W3 avenue and would also have an impact on the circulation of buses. This road is served by bus routes out to the cities surrounding Brasília, and are used by thousands of workers who work in the Pilot Plan.
Without the Light Rail Vehicle, the Government has announced a Plan B, for the tender of 900 buses, which is one third of the current fleet, and also a tender for 600 more taxi licenses, but this shall bring a significant increase in the total 3,400 cars that operate this service at present
Road Projects
Different from the Light Rail Vehicle, the expansion of the road system and the construction of a viaduct close to the airport, both work projects within the Urban Mobility Growth Acceleration Programme (PAC) for the city of Brasília, could benefit everyone, believes Flávio Dias. The specialist from the UnB reminds us that these are routes used by people living in several parts of the Federal District and are hence already saturated. The concept here is not to think of creating projects just for the World Cup, he says. “For the World Cup, there is just a need for reinforcement over what exists at present. More important is the long-term investment, such as the strengthening of the public company and implementation of fare integration”.
Work planned as part of the Responsability Matrix
Work Start Expected Completion Expected
LRV Line1 November 2010 March 2012
Source: Ministry for Sports/Responsability Matrix
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04/05 | News
