[sustran] Busways - Curatiba style

[Kerry Wood]

Let me start with an introduction:

I am an engineer combining practice as a consultant in 'new' transport
technologies with studying for a Masters degree in transportation. Areas of
interest to me include light rail, bus priority, provision for cycling,
cycle safety (thesis subject), traffic calming, urban planning for low
energy use, etc.
In addition to studies I am working on a carpooling system for the
University (Lincoln) (and car-sharing might be an interesting part of it).
I have done studies on light rail, bus and cycle routes.


I hope discusion can cover some of this lot.


Paul Barter wrote:
>It has been a mystery to many in this field,as to why Brazil has been able
>to do so much with busways but they have never really taken off in most
>other places.  Proposals for Karachi, Jakarta, Bangkok and other Asian
>cities have all apparently been cancelled or changed to LRT proposals.

I can suggest three or four reasons, only one of them valid:

1)      High capacity busways need little more width than light rail
(although light rail can be more easily squeezed down to single track at a
pinch point), but need quite a lot more width at stops, because of the need
for buses to pass another bus at a stop (otherwise buses can spend too much
time obstructing each other at stops: light rail is less prone to this
problem because vehicle capacities are greater): Minimum width would be
around 9 - 10 m for a light rail stop, but 12 - 13 m for a busway, both
with staggered platforms. For busway layouts see Gardner, G, 'A study of
high capacity busways in developing cities' Proc Inst civil engineers,
Transportation, 1992, 95, p 185 - 191.

2)      Light rail is sexier

3)      Light rail might be more profitable to large local contractors.

4)      Light rail tracks need to be continuous - obviously. Bus routes
also need to be continuous but it is politically easier to pretend othewise
and allow gaps in the route in 'difficult' places.


Kerry Wood
Transport Consultant, 1 McFarlane St, Wellington 6001 New Zealand
Phone/fax +64 4 801 5549        e-mail kwood at centrl.co.nz