Soft mobility: Brazilian cities are implementing initiatives to impact the users' life
In August 2024, the participants in the Brazil Study Tour, organized by the UMDF, were able to see how the cities of Sao Paulo, Fortaleza and Curitiba are rethinking their transport policies. In these three cities, mobility has become a major issue and a powerful lever for limiting the impact on the environment and, at the same time, improving the quality of life of the population and transport users.
Integrated transport systems are upgrading the experience of the users and impacting many lives
In all three cities, ambitious efforts are underway to make buses a more attractive mode of transport than the car. Public transport agencies such as SPTrans in Sao Paulo and URBS in Curitiba have set up BRT systems. In São Paulo, “the bilhete unico”, or single ticket, facilitates intermodal use of bus, metro and even cabs.
Curitiba is in the process of setting up an integrated travel management system that will enable users to take the bus and rent bicycles via an application that simplifies payment and route planning. Users can thus use different types of mobility option to optimize their journeys according to the following criteria: time, cost or environmental impact.
In addition, the pedestrianization of city centers and strategic roads in the three cities has enhanced the value of pedestrian travel, making it pleasant and safe. This policy is part of a wider revolution in the distribution of public space between different modes of transport, namely bus, metro, cab, bicycle and walking.
Curitiba has chosen to place mobility issues at the heart of its urban planning policy.
In Curitiba, the city's organization favors soft mobility. Marked by a strong desire to decentralize public services, Curitiba is built around major thoroughfares where shops and services are concentrated. Local authorities have taken this concept further by ensuring that public transport services are in place before the development of new districts, encouraging new residents to avoid reliance on cars.
Curitiba has been committed to soft mobility from an early stage, particularly through the construction of pedestrian promenades in the 1970s—among the first in Brazil. They claim to have built the country’s first pedestrian-friendly "tooth chock" in the 1970s. To slow down cars and signal a pedestrian-friendly zone, the urban layout includes differentiated flooring and specialized lighting. Curitiba’s Municipal Market Boulevard was designed with this approach.
There are already 285 km of bike lanes, and the city's teams hope to expand this to 400 km by 2025. Around these bike lanes, they are creating a small ecosystem with a network of self-service bicycles called Tembici.
Fortaleza has demonstrated to its citizens that cycling is a transport mode for the future and a credible alternative to the car
In Fortaleza, a particularly dense network of bike lanes has been developed, making cycling safer and promoting sustainable mobility. A World Bank loan enabled the construction of 90 kilometers of bike paths throughout the city. This funding is supplemented by fees paid by motorists in parking lots, which are reallocated to cycling infrastructure development.
Contrary to popular belief, this transformation now enjoys public support. As Larissa Menescal explains, “Initially, there was significant opposition to bike lanes, especially from the car-owning middle and upper classes, but political commitment and the implementation of measures have changed people’s minds. Cycling culture is now in demand.”
Once again, the experience of Brazilian cities confirms the relevance of the mindset promoted by the UMDF: innovation and the construction of policies that engage local populations enable the creation of cities that are both innovative and prepared to face future social and environmental challenges.