Alternatives for controlling urban traffic congestion

Traffic congestion is nothing new in Latin American cities but has worsened in recent years. Eliminating it is a pipedream, but it should be brought under control. Many economists and transport planners think electronic road pricing would be the best way of tackling it, now that the appropriate technology for implementing it is available. On the other hand, experience shows that, for political reasons, it would be better to begin by adopting simpler methods. To start with, simple road pricing would seem to be the best option. But, over 20 years of experience in London and more than six in Santiago, Chile, made it clear that socio-political barriers have to be surmounted before even this option can be applied in practice. There is more political support for measures to control parking, due in part to the fact that the legal powers do not normally extend to restricting the number of parking spaces available to high-income and influential motorists who have the right to park near their offices and who cause a great deal of the congestion whilst getting there. In Latin America, the relative importance of taxis also diminishes the effectiveness of measures geared to parking, since taxis contribute to congestion although but they do not park. The problem of congestion cannot be solved by using tame measures. The time has come for something bolder, i.e., measures that, at the very least, exercise control over those parking spaces, which so far have been beyond the reach of governments and local authorities, ideally, simple road pricing systems would be even more effective.

Investment and port traffic: an analysis of the situation in Spain

The principal objective of this issue of the FAL Bulletin is to look at investments made in the Spanish port system between 1993 and 2010 in order to determine whether there is a direct link between expansion of port facilities and the outcome of competition for traffic.

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.

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.

An analysis of traffic accidents and children: the case of Uruguay

This issue of the FAL Bulletin deals with road safe ty and its impact on children by examining data collected on road safe ty in the Eastern Republic of Uruguay by the Gonzalo Rodríguez Foundation wi thin the framework of its EDU-CAR Road Safety Plan for Children.

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.

Limites da engenharia de transporte e a estrada minada: o caso da BR 316, Km 0 ao Km 10

A Organizaçãao Mundial da Sáude caracteriza o trânsito como um problema de sáude pública, motivo pelo qual se justificam as preocupações e os esforços de diversos países em criar políticas que venham a frear os índices cada vez mais crescentes de acidentes de trânsito que trazem prejuízos sociais e financeiros a todos. Neste sentido, a conservação da infraestrutura das rodovias ganha um papel relevante nas discussões que tratam os acidentes e suas causas, vez que a infraestrutura de uma rodovia pode ser apontada como um fator determinante para tais ocorrências. Diante disto, esta dissertação tem como objetivo investigar de que forma a precariedade estrutural da Rodovia Federal BR 316, entre os quilômetros 0 ao 10, potencializou a ocorrência de acidentes de trânsito nos anos de 2009 a 2012. Para tanto, lançou-se mão de uma metodologia baseada em explorações teóricas aliadas a análise de informações provenientes do banco de dados da Polícia Rodoviária Federal e pesquisa de campo, materializada a partir da apresentação de fotos ilustrativas do trecho pesquisado, possibilitando o desenvolvimento de um novo Índice de Qualidade para a Rodovia. Os dados colhidos foram tratados a partir da aplicação das técnicas estatísticas análise descritiva e análise multivariada a fim de confirmar a hipótese suscitada. Destaque-se que, no trecho pesquisado o fluxo de veículos e pedestres é intenso e, além, é um intervalo quilométrico que apresenta diversos problemas estruturais como, por exemplo, o aumento e a diminuição do número de pistas de rolamento, a má qualidade dos retornos, a falta de segurança e higiene das passarelas, a descontinuidade dos acostamentos, a inadequação das paradas de ônibus, enfim. No que tange à acidentes e às suas causas, pôde-se constatar que no ano de 2010 houveram mais ocorrências, especialmente, do tipo colisão com bicicleta, colisão com objeto móvel, colisão frontal e colisão transversal, motivadas por desobediência à sinalização, velocidade incompatível, ingestão de álcool, dentre outros. Finalmente, deve-se ressaltar o fato de que nos trechos considerados ruins, além da falta de atenção, a principal causa de acidentes é o defeito na via, corroborando-se então, a hipótese que a precariedade da infraestrutura da rodovia potencializou as ocorrências de acidentes de trânsito, no período de 2009 a 2012. Diante disto, é possível afirmar que o acidente de trânsito é um fato social, consubstanciando como um problema que abarca aspectos sociopolíticos e culturais da sociedade moderna, mas que também é potencializado pelo estado de conservação estrutural das Rodovias.

Effects of traffic control on the soil physical quality and the cultivation of sugarcane

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Rest stops during road transport: Impacts on performance and acute-phase protein responses of feeder cattle

Angus x Hereford steers (n = 42) and heifers (n = 21) were ranked by gender and BW on d 0 of the experiment and randomly assigned to 1 of 3 treatments: 1) no transport and full access to feed and water (CON); 2) continuous road transport for 1,290 km (TRANS), or 3) road transport for 1,290 km, with rest stops every 430 km (STOP; total of 2 rest stops). Treatments were applied from d 0 to 1 of the experiment. Cattle from TRANS and STOP treatments were transported in separate commercial livestock trailers, within a single 2.1 x 7.2 m compartment, but through the exact same route. During each rest stop, STOP cattle were unloaded and offered mixed alfalfa-grass hay and water for ad libitum consumption for 2 h. Upon arrival of STOP and TRANS on d 1, cattle were ranked by sex and BW within each treatment and assigned to 21 feedlot pens (7 pens/treatment; 2 steers and 1 heifer/pen). Full BW was recorded before (d -1 and 0) treatment application and at the end of experiment (d 28 and 29). Total DMI was evaluated daily from d 1 to 28. Blood samples were collected on d 0 (before loading of TRANS and STOP cattle), 1 (immediately after unloading of TRANS and STOP cattle), 4, 7, 10, 14, 21, and 28. Body weight shrink from d 0 to d 1 was reduced (P < 0.01) in CON compared to TRANS and STOP, and reduced in STOP compared to TRANS. Mean ADG was greater (P < 0.05) in CON compared to TRANS and STOP, but similar (P = 0.68) between TRANS and STOP. No treatment effects were detected (P >= 0.18) on hay, concentrate, and total DMI. Mean G: F was greater (P = 0.05) in CON compared to STOP, tended to be greater (P = 0.08) in CON compared to TRANS, and similar (P = 0.85) between TRANS and STOP. Plasma cortisol concentrations were greater (P <= 0.04) in TRANS compared to CON and STOP on d 1, and greater (P = 0.04) in TRANS compared to CON on d 4. Serum NEFA concentrations were greater (P < 0.01) in TRANS compared to CON and STOP on d 1, and greater (P <= 0.05) in TRANS compared to CON on d 4 and 7. Mean plasma ceruloplasmin concentrations were similar (P = 0.19) among treatments. Plasma haptoglobin concentrations were greater (P <= 0.04) in TRANS compared to CON and STOP on d 1, and in STOP compared to CON on d 1. In conclusion, inclusion of rest stops during a 1,290-km transport prevented the increase in circulating cortisol and alleviated the NEFA and haptoglobin response elicited by transport, but did not improve feedlot receiving performance of transported cattle.

Differential organotin sensitivity in two Leucozonia species from a ship traffic area in southeastern Brazil

Tributyltin exposure is the primary cause of imposex development in gastropods, making them excellent bioindicators. The present research represents the first examination of butyltin (BT) contamination in surface sediments associated with imposex in Leucozonia nassa and L. ocellata in a harbour complex area in Espirito Santo, southeastern Brazil. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the organotin pollution in the area and to assess the sensitivity of both species to BT pollution through imposex development. Specimens were collected between 2007 and 2010 and the sediments were sampled in 2007. Imposex intensity was evaluated based on the percentage of imposexed females, the relative penis length index (RPLI) and the average value of the vas deferens sequence index (VDSI). BTs were analysed using gas chromatography equipped with a pulsed flame photometric detector (PFPD). The results demonstrated the occurrence of elevated concentrations of BTs in the sediment ranging from 383.7 to 7172.9 ng Sn g(-1), indicating a severe contamination of the area, which was confirmed by the biological monitoring results. Our findings also indicated that L. ocellata is a less sensitive species than L. nassa and that this differential sensitivity plays a key role in the distributions of the populations of both species in the studied area.

Optimizing urban traffic flow using genetic algorithm with petri net analysis as fitness function

This paper describes a new methodology adopted for urban traffic stream optimization. By using Petri net analysis as fitness function of a Genetic Algorithm, an entire urban road network is controlled in real time. With the advent of new technologies that have been published, particularly focusing on communications among vehicles and roads infrastructures, we consider that vehicles can provide their positions and their destinations to a central server so that it is able to calculate the best route for one of them. Our tests concentrate on comparisons between the proposed approach and other algorithms that are currently used for the same purpose, being possible to conclude that our algorithm optimizes traffic in a relevant manner.