The mayor of Rio de Janeiro, Mr Eduardo Paes, has announced a 15-year plan to replace the city’s Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system with a 251km light rail network. The city’s current network, which was inaugurated for the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, has three lines with 29 stops, and is served by a fleet of 32 vehicles each with capacity for 420 passengers.
The Transcarioca and Transoeste BRT lines will be upgraded to light rail over the next 15 years. The upgrade project will begin with the conversion of the Transcarioca BRT line, connecting Barra da Tijuca with Galeão International Airport, and the Transoeste BRT line, which runs from Barra da Tijuca to Santa Cruz, with a branch to Campo Grande. The BRT network already features dedicated BRT lanes and high-platform stations.
Paes says the conversion to light rail, which will double capacity, will build on the investment already made in the BRT network, with Reais 4.5bn ($US 830.2m) spent on the Transcarioca BRT and Reais 2.5bn spent on the Transoeste BRT. The project is being led by Rio de Janeiro’s Partnership and Investment Company (CCPar), formerly Cdurp, in partnership with the Municipal Transportation Secretariat (SMTR).
Work will also begin next year on a light rail line from Botafogo station, which is served by metro lines 1 and 2, to Gávea.