BRAZIL: São Paulo municipality is working on a plan to build two circular light rail lines totalling 12 km in the centre of the city.
Brazil’s Minister of Cities Jader Barbalho Filho announced at the COP28 UN Climate Summit in Dubai on December 1 that, following a request from the city, the federal government is studying an option to allocate R$1·4bn towards the scheme as part of President Lula’s Growth Acceleration Programme (PAC). The remaining estimated R$2·1bn project cost would be met by the municipality.
Branded as ‘Bonde São Paulo’ (São Paulo Tram), the two-line network would serve 27 stops, including nine metro and two suburban rail stations as well as five bus terminals. The circular Blue Line and the figure of eight-shaped Red Line would have an interchange at Largo do Paiçandu.
Studies for the tram network are currently under way. The municipality says that the tram project aims to connect key parks and squares in the centre and ‘the most relevant economic and cultural hubs’, such as the metropolitan market, theatre and library.
‘The idea of the tram here in the centre is to redevelop urban spaces and to connect the main bus, suburban rail and metro stations with a fast transport mode’, said minister for urban transport in the state of São Paulo, Clodoaldo Pelissioni.
