eduardo behrentz

PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION IN BOGOTA:BENEFITS AND CHALLENGES

Facultad de IngenieríaUniversidad de Los Andes

Eduardo Behrentz

Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering Universidad de los Andes (Bogota, Colombia)

Sustainable Smart Cities Symposium The University of Alabama at Birmingham - June 2014

CONTEXT AND BRIEF HISTORY

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BOGOTA IN NUMBERS

• Founded in 1538.• Colombia´s capital and largest city.• 8 million people in 400 square kilometers (200 hab/ha).• 90 billion U.S. dollars GDP ($11,000 p.c).

• 15 million daily trips and 70 million VKT.• ~ 15,000 road kilometers (quality).• CO2 emissions = 20 million tons per year. • 1.5 million vehicles (60,000 taxis, 20,000 transit buses,

400,000 motorcycles) – 150 vehicles (per 1,000 p).

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Daily Trip Distribution (a couple of years ago)

Bogota has doubled its vehicle fleet in 10 years

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CURRENT ISSUES

10Social and economic costs – 8 billion dollars in 10 years

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This is not Bogota…Just yet

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THE SOLUTION: INTEGRATED TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM

Bicycle Path

Combined Traffic

Bus Lane Bus LaneStation Combined Traffic

Pedestrian Path

• Central planning.• Single authority.• Unified fare collection.• Mode integration.• No competition within the market.

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$$$

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TPC39%

Transmilenio2.5%

Vehículos privados

3%Taxis1%

Camiones33%

Otros 1%

Motocicletas21%

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6:42

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AM6:

44:1

4 AM

6:46

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AM6:

48:1

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52:1

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56:1

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00:1

4 AM

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04:1

4 AM

7:06

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AM7:

08:1

4 AM

7:10

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AM7:

12:1

4 AM

7:14

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AM7:

16:1

4 AM

7:18

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AM7:

20:1

4 AM

7:22

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AM7:

24:1

4 AM

7:26

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28:1

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7:30

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32:1

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AM7:

36:1

4 AM

7:38

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AM7:

40:1

4 AM

7:42

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AM7:

44:1

4 AM

7:46

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AM7:

48:1

4 AM

7:50

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AM7:

52:1

4 AM

7:54

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AM7:

56:1

4 AM

7:58

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AM8:

00:1

4 AM

Conc

entr

ació

n de

PM

2.5

(ug/

m3)

Parada de un bus emisión visible

Buschimenea

Paso de un camión

Parada/aceleración (P/A) de buses al frente

Paso de bus nube negra.

P/A bus nube negra

P/A y paso de buses .

P/A o paso de alfrente de buses

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This requires either publicly owned fleets or heavily regulated markets

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Impact on PM2.5 Emissions

> 50% Reduction

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Impact on CO2 Emissions

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And the future is even more promising…

FINAL REMARKS

• Improving public transportation is the single most effective measure to reduce air pollution and its harmful effects (in urban centers of the developing world).

• It is also the best strategy to avoid usage of private vehicles (far better than restrictive measures).

• Growing Latin American cites must seize the opportunity of high shares of public transportation – The window is closing rapidly and there is no easy way back.

• Beware of the motorcycle – Bad service leads to its massive use (Asia is losing the battle).

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GRACIASEduardo Behrentz, Ph.D.

behrentz@gmail.com

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