RIO DE JANEIRO. — Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff announced on Tuesday investments of US$17 billion to improve the public transportation system in large cities in 18 Brazilian states. Rousseff highlighted the need to invest in subways, saying that in the past, governments thought it too expensive to invest in subway networks, but today the task of building subway networks in large cities has become more difficult.
According to the Ministry of Cities, US$11,7 billion will be invested in transport projects such as subway, light rail lines and special bus lanes in cities with more than 700 000 inhabitants to benefit 53 million Brazilians.
Minister of Cities Aguinaldo Ribeiro said the new investments will not only shorten commute times for Brazilians, but also generate jobs, stimulate the economy and reduce emissions of greenhouse gases. “Brazilians sometimes take four hours going from home to work and back. In some situations, this time will fall significantly to one hour,” he said.
The subject is also of major concern to the government due to the 2014 Fifa World Cup and the 2016 Summer Olympics, which Brazil will host. Public transport in Brazil is mostly comprised of buses, as subway networks are rare and urban trains are considered insufficient and outdated. — Xinhua.