Streetsblog New York City

A key corridor in a large city is cited as a prime spot to replace auto traffic with people-friendly space. Local leaders move on the idea and, once underway, the physical transition comes quickly. Cars are supplanted by street furniture and people. Critics complain, fearing negative impact on area business.

If this sounds familiar, it's probably not what you think. Streetfilms' Elizabeth Press explains:

Rua XV de Novembro (15th of November Street) is one of the major streets in downtown Curitiba. In 1972 under the direction of then Mayor Jaime Lerner, it became the first major pedestrian street in Brazil. The first phase of closing the street took place in only 72 hours.

"At first the project was unpopular," Elizabeth continues, "but today is seen as a success and spans 15 blocks." 

Curitiba: another stop on the "Mexico City hop."

Since adopting its master plan in 1968, Curitiba, Brazil has become a beacon for inventive urban planning and public transportation. The city's pioneering Bus Rapid Transit system inspired the implementation of BRT in many other cities, including TransMilenio in Bogotá, Colombia; Metrovia in Guayaquil, Ecuador; as well as the Orange Line in Los Angeles.

In this Streetfilm, former Curitiba mayor Jaime Lerner talks about the origins of his city's BRT and the expansion that followed. Curitiba's current planners also discuss how they're improving the system to keep it modern and functioning at the capacity of a typical subway system. The city is currently experimenting with smart traffic lights to prioritize buses and with new passing lanes on the dedicated BRT routes. They're even constructing a new bus route that will run parallel to a linear park and 18km of bike lanes.