Traffic congestion: the problem and how to tackle it

As the culmination of a project financed by the Technical Cooperation Agency of the Federal Republic of Germany (GTZ), ECLAC has just published Congestión de tránsito - El problema y cómo enfrentarlo, Cuadernos de la Cepal series, No. 87. The text of 194 pages analyses the negative impacts of congestion and the multidisciplinary efforts that are needed to keep it under control, through the design of appropriate policies and measures. Congestion control is part of the development of a strategic vision of how a city should develop which can make it possible to harmonize the needs of mobility, growth and competitiveness, which are so necessary today and in the future, with the sustainability of cities and the improvement of their quality of life.The task is complex and it is not easy to find appropriate solutions. The present publication presents tools for tackling this crucial problem. Everything indicates that it calls for high professional and leadership qualities on the part of the authorities, and that it must have the active support of the citizens.This edition of the Bulletin presents a summary of the main conclusions of the publication and it is stressed that ECLAC can conduct local workshops to analyze the problem and how to tackle it.

ECLAC contributes with new workshops towards the goal of easing traffic congestion

A number of cities in Latin America played host to workshops on measures for reducing traffic congestion, as part of efforts to publicize the results of a project recently completed by ECLAC, and which received support from the German Agency for Technical Cooperation (GTZ). Congestion is beginning to pose a threat to the quality of life of the cities of the region; the most obvious manifestation of this congestion is the increase in daily travel time, especially in peak hours.The workshops are a contribution to efforts to curb congestion, since they help foster awareness of the extent of the negative consequences generated by the phenomenon, and are a means of publicizing options for dealing with it. This edition of the Bulletin outlines the contents of the workshops and their results. The workshops are offered to urban authorities and other institutions interested in training staff employed in positions involving traffic management.

Road safety: a priority issue for the United Nations

This issue of the Bulletin deals with road safety, which has become an urgent worldwide problem. Given the fact that road accidents are increasing, that they affect the planet's most vulnerable population (namely the lowest income groups in developing countries) and that this is becoming a genuine public health crisis, the United Nations has decided that it is urgent to address the matter. The World Health Organization (WHO) has therefore dedicated the World Health Day 2004 to road safety.Given the urgent need for action, the Chiefs of Transport of the five Regional Economic Commissions of the United Nations held a meeting in Geneva (September 2004), where they agreed to reinforce the studies and projects carried out in this area.Below is a summary of various information sources and initiatives adopted to assess and tackle this modern epidemic and offers a pessimistic outlook for 2020, when road traffic crashes will constitute the third cause of death unless serious action is taken from today.

Traffic congestion: its economic and social consequences

Urban transport in the largest Latin American and Caribbean cities consumes about 3.5% of regional GDP — a percentage that is inflated by the effects of traffic congestion. In addition to the costs of congestion in terms of lost economic efficiency, there are also negative consequences in terms of social cohesion. The phenomenon of traffic congestion, which is caused mainly by relatively wealthy car drivers, lengthens journey times and, more importantly, forces up public transport fares. Owning a car is one of the fruits of human progress; using it in conditions of acute congestion or contamination is a social ill.

Port container traffic in Latin America and the Caribbean 2011

This issue of the FAL Bulletin analyses port container traffic in Latin America and the Caribbean in 2011.

Port planning in Latin America and the evolution of container traffic with Asia-Pacific

This edition of the FAL Bulletin addr esses port planning in Latin America and delivers an initial forecast on container traffic between Latin America and Asia- Pacific through 2015. This bulletin also summarizes the principal conclusions of the Expert Workshop organized by the Unit of Infrastructure Services, in conjunction with ESCAP and the Korea Maritime Institute (KMI) in October 2009, in Panama.

Traffic congestion: the problem and how to deal with it

The text of 194 pages analyses the negative impacts of congestion and the multidisciplinary efforts that are needed to keep it under control, through the design of appropriate policies and measures. Congestion control is part of the development of a strategic vision of how a city should develop which can make it possible to harmonize the needs of mobility, growth and competitiveness, which are so necessary today and in the future, with the sustainability of cities and the improvement of their quality of life.The task is complex and it is not easy to find appropriate solutions. The present publication presents tools for tackling this crucial problem. Everything indicates that it calls for high professional and leadership qualities on the part of the authorities, and that it must have the active support of the citizens.This edition of the Bulletin presents a summary of the main conclusions of the publication and it is stressed that ECLAC can conduct local workshops to analyze the problem and how to tackle it.