Peru's ‘chaotic’ traffic problems

Peru's ‘chaotic’ urban transport system generates losses of US$20 billion a year due to health, transport and economic costs, according to state news agency Andina. Luis Gutiérrez, head of Latin American BRT association (SIBRT), said accidents, pollution-caused breathing problems and sedentary-related illnesses cost US$8 billion a year in Peru, while transport-related problems such as time wasted in traffic and higher gasoline consumption cost another US$8 billion. The remaining US$4 billion is the impact o
August 7, 2014 Read time: 2 mins

Peru's ‘chaotic’ urban transport system generates losses of US$20 billion a year due to health, transport and economic costs, according to state news agency Andina.

Luis Gutiérrez, head of Latin American BRT association (SIBRT), said accidents, pollution-caused breathing problems and sedentary-related illnesses cost US$8 billion a year in Peru, while transport-related problems such as time wasted in traffic and higher gasoline consumption cost another US$8 billion. The remaining US$4 billion is the impact on families' budgets.

Gutiérrez said traffic improvements could reduce those costs to US$10 billion a year, adding that Peru would have to invest US$5.75 billion in 12 cities that are home to 50 per cent of the country's population to improve traffic, with 70 per cent of the cost coming from private investors.

Peru is investing heavily to try to alleviate traffic in Lima. Metro line 1 metro line is currently operating, construction for metro line 2 is about to begin, which it is anticipated will cut travel times by 50 per cent, and two others are in the pipeline.

Related Content

  • Bespoke ITS is helping to reduced collisions on America’s rural roads
    October 22, 2014
    David Crawford cherrypicks conference and award highlights Almost 30% of all US citizens live in rural areas or very small communities, and 34 of the 50 states exceed this level in their own populations, with the proportions rising as high as 85%. And although rural routes carry only 35% of all traffic, the accidents that occur on them account for some 54% of all US road traffic accident deaths.
    Read More
  • Report identifies opportunities for road freight carbon and cost reduction
    December 4, 2012
    Switching from diesel to gas, reducing rolling resistance and aerodynamic drag and introducing more hybrid and electric vehicles are identified as key opportunities for further cutting carbon and improving efficiency in the road freight sector, according to a new report commissioned by the Transport Knowledge Transfer Network (TKTN) and the Low Carbon Vehicle Partnership (LowCVP). The report, written by Ricardo-AEA for the project partners, focuses on the key technical opportunities, and identifies options
    Read More
  • Florida's free flow tolling eases congestion, improves safety
    July 24, 2012
    A decade since Florida's Turnpike Enterprise first deployed electronic toll collection, the organisation's Director of Toll Operations Rick Nelson and Tom S. Knuckey of PBS&J look at progress. A decade on from the deployment of Florida's Turnpike Enterprise's state-wide SunPass pre-paid Electronic Toll Collection (ETC) programme, transponder sales have ballooned from 5,000 to more than 4,000,000. Over 70 per cent of the state's turnpike drivers participate in the system and transponder sales continue to gro
    Read More
  • IBT goes roundabout in Bradenton, Florida
    May 10, 2019
    Yet another roundabout is being built in the US. The public remains sceptical but agencies and contractors are on board, writes David Arminas Global construction company IBT, based in Miami, has won a contract to install a traffic circle – or roundabout - on State Road 64 near Bradenton, Florida. The deal is part of a road improvement project with the Florida Department of Transportation (DoT). The 13-month project started in November. Worth only $5 million, it is not a big infrastructure contract. But
    Read More

Highlighted Content