Member's Documents
Comparative Case Studies of Three IDB-supported Urban Transport Projects
Published by: Office of Evaluation and Oversight, Inter-American Development Bank
Bus rapid transit (BRT) systems have become an increasingly popular approach to addressing mobility and environmental problems in urban areas in Latin America and around the world. In line with this trend, the IDB's support for BRT projects as well as other urban transport in Latin America and the Caribbean has grown rapidly in recent years: the annual lending volume for the urban transport sector grew by 36% from 2005 to 2012, to account for more than 20% of the transport sector lending portfolio. BRT systems represented roughly half of all IDB mass transit projects. These projects typically aim to increase overall mobility while also reducing negative externalities such as traffic accidents and emissions of local and global pollutants; in addition, they often seek to improve mobility and access to jobs, goods, and services for the poor.
