Spring 2021 Studio Report

Ciudad del Este

Building a Transit Metropolis Integrated Transit & Land Use Plan

THE TEAM

Andrew Sandweiss

Sustainable Transportation and Infrastructure Planning

Dennis Jiazheng Zhu Smart Cities

David Seunglee Park

Sustainable Transportation and Infrastructure Planning

Emily Kennedy

Sustainable Transportation and Infrastructure Planning

Gil Lehmann

Sustainable Transportation and Infrastructure Planning

Gabriela Newell

Sustainable Transportation and Infrastructure Planning

Jacey Jingzhi Chang

Sustainable Transportation and Infrastructure Planning

Kate Sutton

Sustainable Transportation and Infrastructure Planning

Tingting Huang

Sustainable Transportation and Infrastructure Planning

Zoe Covello

Land Use and Environmental Planning

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS We want to take the time to profusely thank our colleagues in Paraguay who have helped us better understand this complex city, especially given the fact we were not able to visit Ciudad del Este this year. We would like to especially thank Juan Carlos Cristaldo, Juan Pablo Benitez Gonzalez, Maria Peroni, Lucia Callizo, Jennifer Tucker, Gustavo Taniguchi, Jose Benitez, and the architecture students from the Universidad Católica Alto Paraná. In addition, we would like to thank the representatives from CODELESTE, Nathalia Ramirez and Linda Taiyen, and the Transportation Division & Housing and Urban Development Division at the Inter-American Development Bank, in particular Marcia Silva and Salma Abraham. Without their counsel and advice, this project would have been immensely difficult to complete. We also thank them for the resources they provided to ensure that we had accurate data and information, and for the time they spent helping us fine tune the details of our plan. We are extremely grateful. Thank you also to Professor Erick Guerra, our studio instructor, for helping guide us along the way and for connecting us to our wonderful colleagues in Paraguay.

DEPARTMENT OF CITY AND REGIONAL PLANNING | WEITZMAN SCHOOL OF DESIGN | UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA

Andrew Sandweiss | Dennis Jiazheng Zhu | David Seunglee Park | Emily Kennedy | Gil Lehmann Gabriela Newell | Jacey Jingzhi Chang | Kate Sutton | Tingting Huang | Zoe Covello SPRING 2021

TABLE OF CONTENTS 8

INTRODUCTION

CIUDAD DEL ESTE AS A TRANSIT METROPOLIS

VISION

HISTORY

REGIONAL CONTEXT

9 13 14 16

EXISTING CONDITIONS

OPPORTUNITIES

ISSUES

20 21 27

KEY OBJECTIVES

35

TRANSIT AND LAND USE PLAN

TRANSIT PLAN

LAND USE PLAN

40

41 52

INTERVENTIONS

MICROCENTRO

KM 4

CIUDAD NUEVA

KM 10

61

CONCLUSION

REFERENCES

62 70 74 78 82

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6 Introduction

OPENING STATEMENT In the spring of 2021, our semester-long studio worked on developing an integrated transit and land use plan for Ciudad del Este, Paraguay, a mid-sized city located in the triple frontier region of South America, where Paraguay meets Brazil and Argentina. The goal of this plan was to reimagine Ciudad del Este, a sprawling, car-dependent city dedicated largely to commercial tourism, as a transit metropolis – a region that integrates transit services with the urban form.

The studio team was comprised of ten City and Regional Planning graduate students at the University of Pennsylvania Stuart Weitzman School of Design and advised by Professor Erick Guerra. The studio partners were the InterAmerican Development Bank, the Architecture Department of the Universidad Católica de Alto Paraná (UCAP), and the Centro de Investigación, Desarrollo e Innovación (CIDI) of the School of Architecture at the Universidad Nacional de Asunción (FADA UNA).

Traditionally, the studio team visits the site they are working on to meet with the partners and other relevant stakeholders, as well as experience the city first-hand; however, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the studio team was unable to visit Paraguay. As a result, an understanding of the city was developed through extensive research and numerous virtual meetings with regional experts and local stakeholders, without whom this plan would never have come to fruition.

Through months of meetings and research, we assessed existing conditions in the city, identified opportunities and issues that the city possesses, and created five major objectives to guide the plan in its goal of turning Ciudad del Este into a transit metropolis.

This plan is broken into two major components – (1) a proposed transit network plan with a clear hierarchy of service, and (2) a land use plan that orients future development and growth in the city in and around well-serviced corridors and transit nodes.

The plan culminates with a deep dive into four identified focus areas, where interventions showing what the application of the transit and land use plan together would look like in key parts of the city.

This plan seeks to utilize Ciudad del Este’s unique border location, popular shopping district, and cultural identity to transform the region into a transit metropolis. Through an improved transit and land use plan, Ciudad Del Este has the potential to better connect people to the region’s assets in a way that not only eases congestion, but encourages dense and mixed-use development that supports the local economy.

INTRODUCTION Ciudad del Este as a Transit Metropolis History and Regional Context

Introduction

CIUDAD DEL ESTE AS A TRANSIT METROPOLIS

Transit Metropolis As private car ownership has increased, reliance on public transit has declined in many parts of the world in recent decades. Pushing back against this trend, the transit metropolis is a concept that was first introduced by transportation planning and policy professor Robert Cervero in his book, The Transit Metropolis: A Global Inquiry, published in 1998. The term transit metropolis refers to a region where there is a workable fit between transit services and urban form. In some cases, this means compact, mixed-use development well suited to rail services, and in others it means flexible bus services

that are more accommodating to a more spread-out urban fabric. The most important component of this concept is that transit and the city work in harmony.

Cervero emphasizes the importance of integrating land use into transportation planning when creating a transit metropolis.

This plan for Ciudad del Este will be an integrated transit and land use plan, one that aims to coordinate land use decisions with transportation investments for a sustainable urban environment.

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Introduction

Types of Transit Metropolis Using twelve examples from around the world, Cervero identifies four types of transit metropolises in his book, which are further explained below.

Zürich, Switzerland

Stockholm, Sweden

Curitiba, Brazil

Mexico City, Mexico

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Adaptive cities

Adaptive transit

Strong-core cities

are transit-oriented metropolises that invested in rail systems early in the city’s development and used that to guide urban growth. Allowing for denser development around rail stations enabled these cities to adapt to the transit infrastructure. Examples include Stockholm, Sweden and Tokyo, Japan.

describes places that have largely accepted a more spread out, lowdensity pattern of growth and have adapted transit services to best serve these environments.

For example, Mexico City’s colectivos, which are small-vehicle, entrepreneurial services, have adapted to serve the sprawl of the urban environment in the region.

are those that successfully integrated transit and urban development in a more center city context, such as a Central Business District. Some examples of strong-core cities are Zurich, Switzerland and Melbourne, Australia.

Hybrid city is a city that strikes a workable balance between concentrating development along mainline transit corridors and adapting transit to efficiently serve their more spread out suburbs and exurbs. Curitiba is a good example of a hybrid city because it introduced flexible transit centered around dedicated busways, while also targeting regional growth around key busway stations.

The hybrid city model functions by concentrating development along mainline transit corridors and using a more flexible, adaptive transit service in the spread out suburban areas. This means that their development patterns are partly transit-oriented and their transit services partly adapt to the existing development.

The figure below shows a potential transit network for a hybrid city. The primary urban center is connected to the surrounding subcenters by mainline transit routes.

These mainline, or primary, routes offer the highest level of service and are often formed by a dedicated guideway or busway, meaning that only transit vehicles can travel on the route. Feeder or secondary routes then connect outer neighborhoods to those subcenters through bus or van services. This happens on a synchronized schedule so that it easily connects the secondary routes to the main lines.

Introduction

What is a Hybrid Transit Metropolis?

Graphic from Cervero, 1998

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Introduction

12

The Case for a Transit Metropolis for CDE

The Ciudad del Este region is well suited to the hybrid city model for a number of reasons. The downtown Microcentro already has a density of development, but the city has grown rapidly over time and spread out into lower density areas. Beyond the city border, the samll cities of Hernandarias and Presidente Franco serve as secondary subcenters in the region. Given that CIudad del Este is still fairly young, transportation and land use decisions could be very influential in guiding future growth. In addition, there are already strong corridors, such as Ruta 2, a highly traveled major road running east to west through the city.

Ciudad del Este has the potential to follow the hybrid city’s idea of using main trunkline corridors to concentrate growth. In addition, the hybrid model uses secondary or feeder services which, if implemented in Ciudad del Este, would make it easier to get around for those living in outer neighborhoods or in one of the surrounding cities. Given these characteristics of Ciudad del Este, this integrated transit and land use plan will aim to help the city grow into this hybrid model in order to lead to more efficient transportation and result in more focused development.

Introduction

VISION FOR CIUDAD DEL ESTE This plan is a guide for Ciudad del Este, which aims to improve the existing transit services and the land use decisions for the city. There is a need for better connecting the region to make its tremendous assets accessible for both residents and tourists.

In the remainder of Chapter 1 and in Chapter 2, the history and existing conditions of Ciudad del Este are explored to better understand the opportunities and issues currently facing the city.

Using this information, the plan’s key objectives are indentified in Chapter 3.

Ciudad del Este will become a transit metropolis that ensures accessibility for all residents by integrating successful transit service with strategic land use policies.

Chapter 4 proposes a new transit network, as well as land use interventions to achieve the plan’s vision for Ciudad del Este.

Chapter 5 shows how the transit and land use plans will manifest in localized site interventions, looking deeper into four focus areas in the city.

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Introduction

HISTORY AND REGIONAL CONTEXT History of Ciudad del Este Located on the eastern edge of Paraguay, where the borders of Paraguay, Brazil, and Argentina meet at what is known as the ‘Triple Frontier,’ Ciudad del Este serves as Paraguay’s gateway to connect the country to international trade, employment, and culture.

Ciudad del Este is located on land that was once the home of the Ava Guaraní, Mbya Guaraní, and the Caygua people for many years. In the late 1880s, pioneer Paraguayan communities began migrating throughout the country, further developing the region.

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Ciudad del Este, a relatively young city, was established in 1957 as a frontier town after President Alfredo Stroessner came to power in 1954. Ciudad del Este and the region had extensive infrastructure developments in the 1960s and 1970s with the construction of Ruta 7 (now Ruta 2), which connected the city to both the Atlantic Ocean to the east and Asunción to the west, as well as the construction of the Puente de la Amistad and the Itaipu Dam. With these new major infrastructure projects, the city began growing to accommodate construction workers and engineers. This connective infrastructure allowed for trade across the tri-border

Introduction

region, which flourished in subsequent years, attracting more residents to the area.

Border trade ultimately reached its peak in the 1990s, when it was valued at up to $10 billion USD, which was greater than the national GDP at that time. The city has continued to grow, and recently the region has made efforts to improve connectivity with the new development of the Puente de la Integración, a bridge between Presidente Franco and Foz do Iguaçu, and with the widening of Ruta 2.

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Introduction

Regional Context of Ciudad del Este Ciudad del Este is Paraguay’s second largest city, with a 2020 population of 304,282 and an area of just over 150 square kilometers (58 square miles).

Located approximately 330 miles east of the nation’s capital, Asunción, Ciudad del Este is the capital of the Departamento Alto Paraná, one of the districts within Paraguay. Surrounding the city are smaller cities and towns, including Hernandarias to the north, Minga Guazú to the west, and Presidente Franco to the south.

Across the Paraná River is Foz do Iguaçu, a Brazilian city of approximately the same size as Ciudad del Este. The

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two cities are currently only connected by the Puente de la Amistad, built in 1965, although a new bridge between Presidente Franco and Foz do Iguaçu is under construction and is expected to be completed in 2023.

Just to the south and slightly east of the two cities is Puerto Iguazú, a smaller Argentine town built to support the region’s biggest tourist attraction, Iguazú Falls. A ferry is currently the only direct connection between Paraguay and Argentina, departing from Presidente Franco on the Paraguayan side.

Introduction

Foz do Iguaçu

Located just across the Puente de la Amistad from Ciudad del Este, Foz do Iguaçu was founded in 1910.

It is known for its tourism and cultural diversity, mostly revolving around Iguazú Falls. The city’s economy is closely intertwined with Ciudad del Este as cross border trade and businesses are frequent and common for the region. Many residents of Foz go shopping or commute to work in Ciudad del Este, crossing the border on daily basis. As of 2020, Foz was home to approximately 258,248 residents.

Puerto Iguazú The city of Puerto Igauzú was formally established by Argentina in 1902. The city is built just 18 kilometers (11 miles) away from Iguazu Falls, waterfalls that lie on the border of Argentina and Brazil. Together, they make up the largest waterfall in the world. The city’s economy and infrastructure developed around tourism related to the falls, which continues to drive the city’s economy today.

The city is quite a bit smaller than its neighbors, with a population of 82,227 in 2010. Puerto Iguazú is connected to Brazil via the Tancredo Neves Bridge (Fraternity Bridge), which was constructed in 1985. While there is no bridge between Paraguay and Argentina, ferries from Presidente Franco in Paraguay to Puerto Iguazú in Argentina, as well as buses that travel through Brazil, enable people to travel between the two countries.

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Introduction

Hernadarias Hernandarias is the oldest city in the Departamento Alto Paraná, settled originally by Jesuits in 1619. Today, it is best known as the home of the Itaipu Dam. However, the city also has a number of industrial parks due to the development of both the agricultural sector and the industrial sector in the area. As of 2020, 80,319 people resided in Hernandarias, many of whom work in neighboring Ciudad del Este. Hernandarias and Ciudad del Este are connected via Ruta 7.

Minga Guazú Known as the Industrial Capital of Alto Parana, Minga Guazú was established in 1958 as an agricultural cooperative. It has grown into a city with extensive agroindustrial complex, producing numerous agricultural products –including soybeans, maize, and cotton– and is also home to the biggest oil company in Paraguay, the multinational Cargill. Ciudad del Este’s regional airport, Guaraní International Airport, is also located in Minga Guazú. It is currently home to approximately 91,531 residents (2020).

Presidente Franco Located to the south of Ciudad del Este, Presidente Franco has grown extensively where the border between Ciudad del Este and Presidente Franco is indistinguishable. Presidente Franco has a population of 104,677 (as of 2020), making it the third largest city in the region.

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Introduction

19

Guaraní International Airport in Minga Guazú

Existing Conditions

EXISTING CONDITIONS Opportunities Issues

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Existing Conditions

OPPORTUNITIES Second City With a population of around 300,000, Ciudad del Este is Paraguay’s second city economically, socially, and culturally. An integrated transportation and land use plan, making travel more efficient to and throughout the city, can help Paraguayans capitalize on the resources the city has to offer. The city experienced a major boom in population starting in the 1970s and 1980s and continues to grow today. This growth of the city has resulted in Ciudad del Este making up 8% of Paraguay’s total GDP. Though it is the second largest city, incomes fall below the national average. An estimated 20,000 people work in Ciudad del Este’s informal economy and would not be tracked by census data. For those who work in the formal economy, 79% are employed in the service and sales sectors.

While the city is projected to not see much change in terms of population growth in the coming years, it is expected to evolve in terms of its major economic markets. As the Microcentro becomes less of a focus for the city, travel patterns change, thus creating the potential for a more thorough transit network.

In addition, the evolution of the city allows it to be perceived as an essential part of Paraguay’s growth, not only economically, but also in terms of its presence in the Cono Sur (a region comprising the southernmost countries of South America).

Population Over Time

2nd

largest city in Paraguay

64%

residents in Paraguay work in the informal sector

8%

of Paraguay’s Total GDP

79%

Work in Services/Sales Sector

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Existing Conditions

Border City Ciudad del Este’s economy relies on both formal and informal cross-border trade, particularly with Brazil.

Even amidst the global COVID-19 pandemic, formal freight traffic across the Puente de la Amistad increased in 2020 to $4.6 billion worth of goods. In 2020, the Dry Port of Foz do Iguaçu registered the largest movement of freight goods in all of Latin America.

This market is supplemented by substantial informal trade networks. Brazil allows individuals to bring $300 of goods through customs at a time. Therefore, mototaxis carrying small cargo loads travel over the bridge several times a day. People reselling goods in Brazil also travel across the bridge on foot and are known as sacoleiros.

Small ports along the Rio Parana also ship mainly contraband goods to Brazil.

Paraguay’s low tariffs on imports result in a price differential between Paraguay and Brazil that is a driving force in Ciudad del Este’s economy. The many types of formal and informal work involved in the markets, including setting up stalls, selling goods, shipping goods to Paraguay, and moving goods over the border to Brazil, provide employment for many in the Triple Frontier region.

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Urban Market Much of Ciudad Del Este’s economic activity takes place in the Microcentro, located in the eastern part of the city, where the streets are lined with small stalls and large shopping complexes are filled with goods from around the world. Many of the vendors set up stands on the medians of the road, providing some pedestrian space for customers to walk by stalls and make purchases. While there is some sidewalk space for people to walk within the market, there is potential to create a dedicated pedestrian zone in the area.

The Microcentro market is popular among tourists who travel to the city from surrounding countries, especially from cities bordering Brazil and Argentina, because of Paraguay’s low import tariffs which allows for goods to be sold at low prices. The city demonstrates a juxtaposition of formality and informality with shopping malls such as Shopping del Este, where tourists go to buy luxury and international goods from brick-and-mortar retailers in the same neighborhood as more informal street

Existing Conditions

vendors. The Microcentro is almost exclusively focused located a little further south of microcentro that is also on shopping, so the area empties out at night after popular for shopping. The Mercado de Abastos, located along Avenida Bernardino Caballero, is another central vendors close their doors in the late afternoon. market. Compared to the Microcentro market, which This lack of activity after the market’s hours leaves caters to tourists, this market serves mostly residents this part of the city empty in the evening, creating the and is where much of Ciudad del Este’s residents go to potential for new uses or activities. In addition to the shop for necessities and groceries.

Microcentro marketplace, there is another market

Microcentro

Mercado de Abastos 23

Existing Conditions

Itaipu Hydroelectric Dam The Itaipu Dam presents another opportunity for Ciudad del Este. This dam, located approximately 15 miles north of Ciudad del Este on the Paraná River between Paraguay and Brazil, is the world’s second-largest hydroelectric dam. It is operated by Itaipu Binacional, a power company jointly owned by the two countries.

The proximity to the dam is a great opportunity when it comes to developing a transit plan.

Itaipu

History of the Dam

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Originally proposed in 1971, it took two years for the dam to become a reality. In 1973, Brazil and Paraguay signed a treaty, declaring their intention to construct the dam and laying out an agreement regarding the output, with Paraguay agreeing to sell its unused electricity to Brazil for $124 million a year for fifty years. The following year the countries created Itaipu Binacional to construct the dam, and the dam was completed and began operating in 1984. In total, the construction of the dam, the largest hydroelectric dam in the world at the time, cost the two nations $19.6 billion.

In 2009, Brazil agreed to triple its payments to Paraguay and permitted Paraguay to sell excess power to Brazilian companies instead of going through the Brazilian electricity monopoly. In 2019, the dam generated 79.44 million MWh of energy. It produces 90% of Paraguay’s electricity, and 16% of Brazil’s.

In 2023, the original treaty is set to expire, and both countries are currently preparing for the renegotiation of the treaty.

Existing Conditions

Regional Importance of the Dam

1. Investment in infrastructure projects Itaipu Binacional has invested in numerous public infrastructure projects in Ciudad del Este over the years, including the recent construction of Linear Park in central Ciudad del Este and a highway overpass at Km 7. Itaipu Binacional could be a great partner for future infrastructure investments, including transit.

2. Potential increase in municipal revenue The renegotiation of the treaty has the potential to set new energy prices and allow Paraguay to sell energy to third parties, which could bring more revenue into the city.

3. Renewable energy for public transport Itaipu produces enough electricity to provide Paraguay with enough energy for eleven years. As hydroelectricity cannot be stored, Paraguay resorts to selling its excess electricity to Brazil for below market-rate prices, as stipulated in the 1973 treaty. Some of the excess electricity could be used to power a project, such as a new bus fleet. With this energy, Ciudad del Este has the potential to create a lower-cost, more sustainable method of moving citizens around the city.

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Existing Conditions

Puente De La Integración A new bridge, the Puente de la Integración, is currently being constructed and has the potential to relieve congestion to and from the city.

The new bridge would be a second major thoroughfare to Brazil, with this bridge carrying all truck traffic to alleviate congestion on the Puente de la Amistad.

An additional project, a ring road that begins just west of the city and travels around its southern half, will also divert cross-country traffic from the Microcentro and will likely alter the international border flow significantly since much of the freight traffic would be diverted away from the already dense Microcentro.

On the Paraguayan side, the ring road begins just west of Ciudad del Este at Km 14 and Ruta 2. It then goes south to cross the Monday River at a bridge already under construction, where it then cuts east to cross the Monday River once more before meeting up with the bridge in Presidente Franco.

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This ring road, combined with the new bridge, will divert cross-country traffic from the Microcentro, which may reduce congestion there – or exacerbate it in the areas immediately near the new Puente de la Integración.

New Ring Road + Bridge

Legend Ring Road New Bridge

Existing Conditions

ISSUES Geographic Disparity Geographic disparities in wealth and poverty are evident in Ciudad del Este -- particularly between the areas just southwest of the Microcentro and the western and northern parts of the city.

Population Density

Population Density Population density is highest in the southeastern and northeastern sections of the city. The dense northeastern neighborhood called San Blas, along the Acaray River has a high concentration of informal settlements that are often in areas vulnerable to flooding. On the other hand, the lowest population density is located in the area immediately southwest of the Microcentro, originally planned by Itaipu for higher income workers. Houses are larger and more spread out, despite their proximity to the core.

1 2

As you move towards the west, the population density decreases with many informal settlements spread out north to south off of Ruta 2. Population density also decreases in the area immediately southwest of the Microcentro, which was originally planned by Itaipu for higher income workers. Houses in this area are larger and more spread out, despite their proximity to the urban core.

1

2

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Existing Conditions

Housing Quality

Housing Quality

Housing quality is poorer in the western neighborhoods and in the San Blas neighborhoods, all of which have a significant number of informal settlements. Housing quality deficiencies are defined as lacking access to subsistence, education, and quality housing structure.

Areas lacking in at least one of these categories are concentrated mostly southwest of the Microcentro.

1 1

Access to Internet

Access to Internet Similarly, the wealth of certain neighborhoods is reflected in the households with access to internet, where the highest concentrations are located in the area immediately southwest of the Microcentro.

Outside of this small, but less dense, part of the city, the percentage of households with internet access are below 40%, and in many areas, below 20%.

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Existing Conditions

Vehicle Access The same geographic disparities exist in terms of access to vehicles. Motorcycle use is more heavily concentrated in the western, poorer areas of the city, while automobile use and ownership is concentrated in the wealthier inner neighborhoods to the southwest of the Microcentro.

Household with automobiles

Household with motorcycles

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Existing Conditions

Poor Transit Connectivity Ciudad del Este’s current bus network is operated by several concessionaire companies over 19 routes.

There are no published maps or schedules, no fixed stops, and routes are only partially fixed so it is difficult to predict where a bus will be available and when. The bus routes that do exist all serve the same areas of the city. The routes are highly duplicative of each other and provide very little coverage of the city.

The lack of access to reliable bus service across the city means that residents must rely on other modes, particularly cars, taxis, and moto-taxis, in order to travel.

This reliance on low-capacity transportation options exacerbates the congestion issues the city faces from the large numbers of trucks that pass through the city.

Bus Route Map

Boarding a bus downtown

Despite the highly variable, unpredictable, and duplicative nature of the local bus routes, there are several important takeaway points: • • •

• •

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All routes serve at least part of the Ruta 2 frontage roads Most routes serve Avenida Bernardino Caballero or parallel streets Several routes serve the area south of Ruta 2 immediately to the west of Microcentro, but only as far west as Km 7 Only two routes serve the area to the north of Km 4 Only one route serves the western half of the city, and only goes as far as Km 10

The city is also served by several intercity buses. Some arrive from Brazil across the Puente de la Amistad and terminate right by the Microcentro, and others arrive from other parts of Paraguay, particularly Asunción.

The domestic intercity buses also terminate near the Microcentro, and many of them also deviate to serve Km 4, a major intersection and hub of the city where Ruta 2 and Ruta 7 meet. However, none of the intercity buses provide any other form of local service.

Existing Conditions

Congestion & Safety Poor public transportation and the lack of a clear road hierarchy on city roads makes congestion another major transportation issue facing Ciudad del Este. Traffic congestion is particularly serious on the main roads and major intersections leading into the Microcentro area.

Freight trucks clog up Ruta 2 as they wait for hours to cross the Puente de la Amistad. In addition, people arrive on many of the side streets as early as 4 am to set up stalls to sell goods in the Microcentro market.

The limited road space, adjacent to the shops, tend to be packed with pedestrians, vehicles, and mototaxis.

Traffic on the Friendship Bridge

Downtown Microcentro

Vehicle Crash in Ciudad del Este

Congestion is exacerbated by the lack of traffic signals and crosswalks at major intersections, as well as the limited lane markings, which contribute to increased crowding of pedestrians, vehicles, and mototaxis.

Congestion peaks in the morning, as a large number of tourists and shoppers enter the marketplace and also peaks in the evening, as Microcentro workers return home to other parts of the city and to cross the Puente de la Amistad back to Brazil and Argentina.

In addition to traffic congestion, road safety and insecurity is another common issue. There is not much traffic enforcement in the city, which can exacerbate the congestion of the road network and lead to more frequent car crashes.

Additionally, in order to make an effective transportation plan that ensures transit is a safe alternative to private vehicles, addressing the safety associated with riding public transit into the Microcentro is necessary for encouraging ridership. This refers to the insecurity many locals have described when it comes to feeling safe in the Microcentro at night. This, in addition to improving road safety through better street design interventions, will create a safer and less congested street environment.

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Existing Conditions

Traffic Flow - All Traffic

Ruta 2 is the main road connecting two major cities in Brazil and Paraguay, therefore high traffic volume and limited road capacity frequently result in congestion along Ruta 2. The figure above shows the reuslt of a traffic survey conducted near Km 7 in Ciudad del Este. The flow of vehicles was recorded and estimated for a 24-hour period.

The results show that among all vehicles, traffic flow was highest in the east to west direction. This traffic is predominantly caused by private vehicles.

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Due to the city’s location by the river, as well as the sloping elevation of the city near the waterfront, streets in Ciudad del Este often flood.

Existing Conditions

Flooding

As a result of climate change, rainstorms are intensifying, leading to heavier downpours and increased flood risk.

Many neighborhoods of the city have experienced devastating flood damage in recent years. Beyond the damage to homes and businesses, city streets frequently are inundated as a result of heavy rainfall, which has affected transit accessibility and functionality.

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Key Objectives

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KEY OBJECTIVES

Key Objectives

KEY OBJECTIVES The vision for this plan is for Ciudad del Este to become a transit metropolis that ensures accessibility for all residents by integrating successful transit service with strategic land use policies. This vision guides the key objectives and is the benchmark for developing the core elements of this transit and land use plan.

Based on the existing conditions of the city, this plan addresses the unequal transit connectivity, high amount of traffic congestion, and flooding concerns that inhibit growth and hinder the transportation system in Ciudad del Este. Based on these concerns, there are five key objectives that will help transform the city into a transit metropolis.

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Key Objectives

Ensure equitable accessibility for all residents of the city As residents of Ciudad del Este rely on various forms of transportation, it is necessary to consider all types of transit when planning an integrated transportation and land use plan. This includes making sure buses, motorcycles, cars, and pedestrians are all thought of when designing the plan. Within the city, access to public transit varies neighborhood to neighborhood. Residents living in the western part of Ciudad del Este, further away from the wealthier central neighborhoods, are not only less likely to own to private cars, but have less access to reliable public transit.

Additionally, western Ciudad del Este is home to a number of informal settlements. Through improved connectivity and land use investments that specifically consider informal settlements, the city will be better prepared to ensure equitable accessibility. In order to create an integrated transit and land use plan, it is necessary that these residents are not left out.

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Better connect assets

The second key objective is to better connect assets in the city and the region. By creating an organized transportation network that not only links the neighborhoods within Ciudad del Este, but also with nearby municipalities such as Hernandarias, Minga Guazú, and Presidente Franco, as well as neighboring Brazil and Argentina, Ciudad del Este (and Paraguay itself) can better take advantage of industrial assets, economic nodes, and tourist attractions in the region.

Encourage growth around transit improvements

As a border city, there are high daily traffic volumes concentrated along Ruta 2 as vehicles enter the city from the Puente de la Amistad. It is clear that congestion is a severe problem in Ciudad del Este, especially within the Microcentro area near the border. A pivotal aspect of making mobility more effective and accessible is to establish interventions that more efficiently manage traffic in the city.

In addition, in order to ensure transit is a safe alternative to private cars, improving security on transit is important. Improving street safety through better street design interventions will also reduce vehicle crashes and create a better walking environment for pedestrians.

Key Objectives

Manage congestion and improve safety

Transit investments can be helpful catalysts in encouraging growth around transit infrastructure and in shaping future land use since proximity to transit encourages both housing and commercial development. This plan will facilitate denser and more mixed-use development around transit corridors and specifically around key nodes. Additionally, developing activity nodes in the western areas would encourage balanced, bidirectional transit ridership in the city.

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Key Objectives

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Support commercial tourism & attract people to stay Lastly, one of the biggest assets of this region is tourism. Most tourists who visit the region stay in Brazil or Argentina and visit Ciudad Del Este for one day shopping trips to take advantage of cheaper goods.

According to Ciudad del Este’s Plan de Desarrollo Sustenable, the city’s local development plan published in 2016, the city hopes to figure out strategies to capitalize on regional tourism and encourage individuals to stay in Paraguay for longer than a day. This plan seeks to support this goal.

Key Objectives

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Transit and Land Use Plans

TRANSIT AND LAND USE PLAN Transit Plan Land Use Plan

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Transit and Land Use Plans

TRANSIT PLAN Establishing TransParaná To implement a new transit system for Ciudad del Este, this plan proposes a new transit authority called TransParaná be created to oversee this change.

This will be a concession-based system, so the transit authority will be responsible for route planning, marketing, and other administrative duties while the transit itself would be run by third-party operators. To facilitate a smooth transition and maintain employment for drivers, current bus operators would receive priority in the concession process. However, they would be paid per route mile rather than per passenger to ensure they stick to their assigned routes and schedules.

has been instrumental in every major infrastructure project in the city, they are included in the board as well. To ensure the board makes decisions that are feasible from an operations perspective, the board will also include two representatives from the bus operators.

This new transit authority will be governed by a board of directors with representation from a number of stakeholders, including officials from Ciudad del Este and surrounding municipalities. Since Ciudad del Este has a larger population than surrounding municipalities, the board will include additional representatives from CDE to ensure the balance of power reflects population. Since Itaipu Binacional

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Transit and Land Use Plans

Overview of the Transit Network The proposed Transit Plan’s bus network is based on the trunk and feeder network model. This model relies on a main, high frequency route (the “trunk”) with various less frequent, local lines (“feeders”) diffusing into the city.

In this transit plan, the highest tier of service (the “trunk”) will be a Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Route that will run along Ruta 2 and Avenida Bernardino Caballero. With stops approximately one kilometer apart, buses running every 5-10 minutes, and a dedicated bus lane, this will be the fastest route in the system and will serve as the backbone of the transit network.

The next tier of service is called the Frecuente, or High Frequency

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routes, and will run at 7-15 minute frequencies along northsouth corridors such as the Supercarretera, Avenida Republica del Peru, Calle Diez, and Ruta los Cedrales. The combination of these two tiers of service will provide high frequency transit to the most popular destinations and densest parts of the city, while also providing high quality transit to the growing western areas.

To stitch together the remaining parts of the city, six local feeder, or Comarcal, routes will run at 1530 minute frequencies to provide coverage service in these areas.

These service tiers will not only help passengers make sense of how the bus system works and to predict how different routes

operate, but they also help highlight the city’s structure.

Ruta 2, with the proposed BRT service, is the most important corridor of the city, while Kilometers 4 and 7, with the Frecuente lines, highlight some of the major nodes of the city.

To improve late night transit options, the service span for the BRT and Frecuente routes would run from 4 am to midnight. Each tier of service could also be implemented with the vehicles shown here, with a color corresponding to the service tier.

This transition to new vehicles could occur gradually as funding becomes available.

Transit and Land Use Plans

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Transit and Land Use Plans

Route Nomenclature

Ciudad del Este’s status as a border city means that the people who reside and visit there speak many languages. At least four or five different languages can be heard on the streets of the Microcentro: Guaraní, Spanish, Portuguese, English, and Jopará (a hybrid of Spanish and Guaraní). In order to facilitate easier navigation for 44 residents and visitors, some of

whom may not be able to read, transit routes must be identifiable by means other than language.

Numbers are not available, as many of the city’s neighborhoods are identified numerically, usually in terms of distance along Ruta 2 from the border.

We recommend an icon-based nomenclature, using animals to identify each route. We chose

animals alphabetically in either Spanish or Guaraní. For example, the BRT, as the flagship route, is the Águila (Spanish for Eagle) line, while the Frecuente route at Km 14 is the Eiru (Guaraní for Bee) line, and the Comarcal feeder at Km 12 is the Mainumby (Guaraní for Hummingbird) line. Visually, the lines would always be identified by the icon.

This new transit system will be a monumental change for Ciudad del Este, so it will be important to implement it in phases. These phases were designed to be flexible, so they can be implemented on whatever time frame works for the city. In the event that additional funding is not available, each phase could also serve as an end point for the project and would offer

significant improvements to transit.

In Phase I, the TransParaná transit authority will be established and issue concessions for all service.

All routes will operate for their whole length in the first phase, but with baseline, minimal frequencies.

The first round of infrastructure improvements will be added to the BRT route from Avenida

Bernardino Caballero to Km 7, which is depicted in orange, to provide alleviation from congestion in the densest part of the city.

Transit and Land Use Plans

Phase 1

Additionally, all bus stops on any tier of service will receive signs with schedules and route names to improve navigation and predictability for customers.

Pedestrian overpasses will also be constructed along the whole length of Ruta 2 to lay the groundwork for the BRT system and provide north-south connections for all pedestrians.

Key elements of Phase 1 Institutional • •

Establish TransParaná Issue concessions

Infrastructure • • •

BRT construction Sign all bus stops Pedestrian overpass

Service •

All routes run for entire length

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Transit and Land Use Plans

Phase 2 Phase II improves the infrastructure on two of the major corridors and introduces the second tier of service, high frequency (Frecuente) routes.

The infrastructure improvements for the BRT are completed to the west of Km 7 and south of Ruta 2, as shown in orange. In addition, the Caballo line, shown in red, which runs along the Avenida República

del Perú, Avenida San Jose and Puente Cavalcanti, is the first route increased to high frequency service.

At the end of this phase, TransParaná would analyze the performance of the Caballo line to assess what infrastructure investments would be needed along this corridor to deliver more consistent bus service.

Key elements of Phase 2 Institutional •

Infrastructure need assessments begin

Infrastructure • • •

BRT extension west BRT extension south Pedestrian overpass

Service •

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Increased frequency on Caballo Line

During Phase III, three additional routes are upgraded to the high frequency tier, shown in red on the map, including the north-south routes at Buho (Km 4), Delfin (Km 10), and Eiru (Km 14). Specifically, Delfin (Km 10) and Eiru (Km 14) routes are located on the less developed western part of the Ciudad del Este in order to facilitate more transit-oritented development and

alleviate accessibility issues for the residents in the western part of the city. After these routes have been in service for a year, they would also be evaluated for targeted infrastructure investments to ensure vehicles on the second tier (Frecuente) routes of the system are moving quickly and efficiently.

Additionally,

TransParaná

conduct assessments on all routes to assess the service performance and ridership.

This process will help TransParaná make any service adjustment to the exsiting services or issue additional concessions in the future.

It is important to note that this assessment process will continue in beyond the the three phases.

Transit and Land Use Plans

Phase 3

will

Key elements of Phase 3 Institutional •

Continued assessment of infrastructure need

•

Issue new consessions

Infrastructure •

Service •

Targeted infrastructure investments on high frequency (frequente) routes Increased frequency on Buho (Km 4) , Delfin (Km 10) and Eiru (Km 14) Lines

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Transit and Land Use Plans

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TransParaná Implementation Phase Overview

Transit and Land Use Plans

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Transit and Land Use Plans

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Águila BRT As the central piece of the TransParaná’s bus transit network, the Águila BRT service is a crucial element for the success of the transit system and for the entire plan. The diagram shows the proposed stations for the Águila BRT service. They are spaced on average one kilometer apart so that there is a short enough walk between stations for pedestrians while still allowing buses to travel

at higher speeds on the dedicated busway along Ruta 2. The route will also continue to the west to provide transit service to the airport. In addition, nine stations serve as interchange/transfer stations where transit riders can tranfer to other Frecuente (high freqeuncy) and Comarcal (local) buses to reach their destinations.

Additionally, Águila BRT serves as a

crucial starting place for ensuring that land use and transit are well integrated. For example, walkability improvements and facilitating higher density around these stations will be an important element of the land use plan in the next section.

Clear wayfinding signage throughout the system would help users navigate the TransParaná.

The colors of the routes on this map correspond to each tier of service and outline the service frequencies

people can expect. The inclusion of three rivers helps ground viewers in space. Symbols used throughout the map help make the system legible regardless of the language someone speaks.

Transit and Land Use Plans

TransParaná System Map

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Transit and Land Use Plans

LAND USE PLAN Land Use Intervention Overview To fully transform Ciudad del Este into a transit metropolis where land use and transit are wellintegrated, the transit plan must be paired with thoughtful land use interventions. This plan identifies four interventions that work alongside the transit plan to meet

the overarching plan objectives.

The point of these interventions is to concentrate future development and growth in the city in and around well-serviced corridors and neighborhoods, which are identified in orange on the map.

These interventions will encourage denser development around transit nodes and prohibit development in more environmentally-sensitive and less-connected parts of the city.

The following interventions will be discussed in more detail throughout this chapter: Land preservation and flood mitigation Subdivision & Services in western Ciudad del Este Transit node walkability and density Reclaiming the Rio Paraná waterfront

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This first intervention is focused on land preservation and flood mitigation. As mentioned earlier, flooding is a serious issue for the city, and implementing interventions to help mitigate it is essential to ensuring that the transit and land use plan is effective. Research regarding where flooding has historically been an issue in Ciudad del Este indicates that neighborhoods along the

Acaray River, to the north, are some of the most prone. However, this intervention proposes preserving land along the rivers both north and south of the city. The preservation of this land would disallow any new development from taking place and necessitate government work with residents currently residing in those areas to move to less risky and better-connected parts of the city.

This would have the effect of creating a buffer that would serve to reduce flood risk, as well as allow for new growth to be concentrated closer to the desired growth zone and in lessrisky areas.

Transit and Land Use Plans

Land Preservation and Flood Mitigation

Many of those living along the rivers are low-income households that have created informal settlements. As these households disproportionately feel the effects of the flooding and are generally disconnected from Ciudad del Este’s existing transit and utilities networks, which don’t extend to these areas, this preservation intervention could work successfully in concert with the following intervention, called Subdivision & Services.

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Transit and Land Use Plans

Encouraging Density Through Subdivision & Services This intervention is a governmentled subdivision and infrastructure provision initiative, called Subdivision & Services. This idea is similar in concept to the World Bank’s Sites and Services model, where the government provides residents with plots of land that have been connected to service lines, like electricity, water, and sewage.

This project would be first implemented along Ruta 2 near Km 10, where a high frequency route intersects with the BRT line. This location was selected as a result of proximity to transit services, the higher concentration of vacant land, and the relatively low quality of existing housing in this area.

Km 10

World Bank’s Sites and Services Model

Before

After

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This initiative would be differentiated from that of the World Bank’s by making certain that, in addition to providing access to utilities, the subdivision of these sites would ensure proximity to transit. This would improve equitable accessibility to other parts of the city and reduce commute times. Additionally, there would also be a focus on: •

Transit and Land Use Plans

Components of Successful Subdivision & Services

Utilizing spatially efficient planning norms in order to create more density

•

Varied plot sizes to attract residents of varied incomes

•

The interspersion of sites with commercial uses

•

The ability to self-help

•

The option for people to relocate

•

The ability to purchase the land from the government (often at a significantly reduced cost) for title and full ownership of a plot

As a note, this plan does not endorse mandated or forced relocation of residents living in the proposed preserved buffers along the rivers. Through Subdivision & Services the government could provide residents with significant opportunities for improved living conditions and accessibility, while allowing for continued autonomy and selfdetermination.

To go into further detail about the process and how it would work steps are outlined below: 1.

Government purchases land plots

2.

Plots are subdivided densely and at varying sizes

3.

Government assures access of basic utilities to these plots

4.

Identify residents at risk of flooding or poor housing quality

5.

Offer plots to residents in these areas and explain they have the option to move willingly

6.

Begin to offer plots to other residents in the city

7.

Incentivize commercial development alongside the residential

8.

Use of self-help methods/local construction businesses by residents to build adequate housing

9.

Residents begin to pay government back for land

10.

Residents are granted formal land title and full ownership of land and home

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Transit and Land Use Plans

15-Minute Walkshed Around Transit Nodes and 1/4 Mile Density Zone This next intervention is also focused on encouraging density and improving infrastructure around transit stops through the creation of 15-minute walk sheds and quarter mile high density zones around key transit hubs, using a bull’s eye concept similar to that which was implemented in Rosslyn, Virginia. Within a quarter mile of

the transit stop, denser mixed-use development will be encouraged.

The 15-minute walksheds extend beyond the quarter mile zones, and will receive physical improvements that target walkability and safety, such as the creation of sidewalks, crosswalks, and the addition of streetlights. All of these improvements are essential to

improving connectivity and creating a safe transit route for bus riders when it comes to boarding and alighting.

Focuses for this intervention include: • • • •

Increased density around transit nodes Safety Connectivity/Walkability Public space

Rosslyn, VA

Green Infrastructure

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There will also be improvements that target greening for aesthetic, as well as ecological benefits. The city suffers from urban heat island effect and flooding therefore, greening would serve to assist in mitigating both issues, creating safer spaces for boarding buses and can result in more activity along these now walkable routes.

The last intervention targets the waterfront to the east of the Microcentro. Currently, the city does not have public access to the Paraná River. In order to meet objectives of better connecting assets within the city and supporting commercial tourism, which is centered in the Microcentro, the city should focus

on connecting to the waterfront, specifically targeting the half mile that stretches south from the Puente de la Amistad.

As the land in this area is elevated above the river, the waterfront could be modeled similar to the park overlooking the Paraná River in

Puerto Iguazu, Argentina, pictured below. This concept would integrate nicely with the pedestrian plan for the Microcentro, which will be discussed further later in this plan.

Transit and Land Use Plans

Reclaiming the Waterfront near the Microcentro

Reclaiming this waterfront can serve multiple purposes:

• • •

It can serve as a public space Act as a tourist attraction And as a buffer between the Microcentro and the Paraná River

The image above illustrates a successful waterfront reclamation in Rosario, Argentina. Rosario’s waterfront could be a model for Ciudad del Este.

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Transit and Land Use Plans

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Land Use Phasing Phase 1

Phase 2

Phase 3

Land use implementation will take place over a longer period of time than that of the transit interventions. The first phase would consist of working to make walkshed improvements around BRT stops.

This is also when the government could begin establishing the Subdivision & Services blocks around Km 10.

This phase would focus on creating walkshed improvements and transit stop improvements near major transfer nodes, connecting Microcentro to the waterfront, as well as beginning the process of preserving the green buffer along the two rivers.

The last phase would ideally see the expansion of the Subdivision & Services model on other vacant parcels near transit.

Transit and Land Use Plans

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Focus Area Interventions

FOCUS AREA INTERVENTIONS Microcentro Km 4 Ciudad Nueva Km 10

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Focus Area Interventions

LOCALIZED PROPOSALS Introduction While regional context is important for the social positioning of Ciudad del Este, our focus area interventions focus exclusively inside the city. In order to establish Ciudad del Este as a transit metropolis, we have prioritized interventions that focus on the integration of land use and transportation in a way that ensures accessibility and connectivity are prioritized.

Based on the current conditions of the city, we have picked four major intersection areas of Ciudad del Este to start considering for intervention. Each of these focus areas seek to address our key objectives. The first intervention focuses on the Microcentro, for its proximity to the triple border and its severe congestion, as well as its centrality to the marketplace.

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Focus Area Interventions

MICROCENTRO

Existing Conditions Most of Ciudad del Este’s economic activity happens in the Microcentro where there are many street vendors, as well as large shopping malls.

Paraguay has low import tariffs which allows for very low prices that attract visitors from surrounding countries to visit Ciudad del Este to buy low-cost goods. Because the Microcentro is shopping-oriented, car, pedestrian and motorcycle traffic are very common in the area.

However, the Microcentro is only congested and 62 popular during the market’s hours of operation.

In addition, there are several very unorganized and chaotic intersections that revolve around roundabouts, which adds to congestion and creates a dangerous environment for pedestrians.

Focus Area Interventions

Intervention Overview Because of these conditions within the Microcentro area, the following three interventions seek to mitigate congestion and better organize transportation in and around the market and Microcentro area, while also attracting visitors to stay in Ciuadad del Este (addressing our key objectives): 1. Intersection redesign along Ruta 2 to improve safety and congestion 2. Commercial shared streets to improve the pedestrian experience in Microcentro 3. A riverfront boardwalk and park to encourage people to stay in Microcentro & to protect the area from flooding 63

Focus Area Interventions

Intersection redesign along Ruta 2 to improve safety and congestion

The two challenging intersections that were chosen to be redesigned both intersect with Ruta 2 and are in close proximity to the Microcentro area. Both the intersection at Avenida Carlos Antonio López and at Avenida Bernardino Caballero were chosen due to their complicated nature and their propensity to accumulate traffic. Improving these intersections would help pedestrians better access the market and help the city better manage traffic congestion in the area, both of which are pivotal for creating a more integrated transit and land use system.

Currently at the intersection of Avenida Carlos Antonio López and Ruta 2, there is no lane striping, making the intersection confusing and chaotic for cars. In addition, there are very few crosswalks, making it uncomfortable and difficult for pedestrians to cross. By enlarging the central island, adding motorcycle lanes to ease congestion and establishing a better lane hierarchy, this intersection can improve for motorists. Improving the pedestrian environment by adding crosswalks will also make this intersection more comfortable for nonmotorists. This is especially important since this location is near the Microcentro marketplace and improving the pedestrian experience will improve connectivity and 64 accessibility to the market.

Similar to the intersection at Avenida Carlos Antonio López, Avenida Bernardino Caballero is a very large intersection where there is no lane striping, and very few crosswalks. This location was chosen since this intersection will be the intersection where the BRT turns onto Ruta 2. There are three options for the redesign of Avenida Bernardino Caballero & Ruta 2 based on cost.

Option 1 is an improved roundabout like the one proposed for Avenida Carlos Antonio López, with bus lanes ending far enough away from the roundabout to allow buses to navigate along with traffic through the intersection. The advantage of this option is that it is low cost.

Option 2 is to replace the roundabout with a signalized intersection that gives priority to buses in the bus lane. This option reduces the potential conflict between buses in the BRT and traffic. This is a slightly higher cost than option 1.

Option 3 is to give the buses a flyover so they can turn without being impeded by other traffic and can avoid the roundabout completely. This is the highest cost option since it requires a greater infrastructure investment with the addition of a flyover.

Before

After

Focus Area Interventions

Avenida Carlos Antonio López & Ruta 2

Avenida Bernardino Caballero & Ruta 2 Before

After: Option 1

After: Option 2

After: Option 3

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Focus Area Interventions

Commercial shared streets to improve the pedestrian experience

Currently, the streets of Microcentro are heavily congested with no clear distinction between cars and pedestrian walkways. Many vendors sell their goods at the market and many visitors come to shop, yet the street is somewhat inhospitable to those shopping due to the number of cars constantly driving adjacent to the market.

By pedestrianizing some of the streets in the Microcentro, this area could become a more pleasant place for both pedestrian and shoppers. In addition, the pedestrianization of spaces in the Microcentro create room for event-based street programming, such as musicians and art events, that could add vibrancy to the area, particularly after shops begin to close down.

Ultimately, interventions such as these can move the Microcentro from being a strictly daytime, single-use neighborhood to a multi-use, exciting place to be at all hours.

By creating a more welcoming and fun Microcentro environment, more people would be attracted to make longer trips to Ciudad del Este.

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Focus Area Interventions

Graphic from NACTO The shared streets concept, which has informed our intervention, involves the pedestrianization of certain streets during hours of market operation. The market currently operates from 7 am to 4 pm, therefore the proposed commercial shared street would prohibit cars from entering these streets during those hours, but would open up to vehicle traffic from 4 pm to 7 am to allow trucks loading goods into the market.

Pedestrians Only 7 AM - 4 PM

Certain streets would be maintained for vehicular traffic, as they are right now, so that there will always be access to Ruta 2 and other major routes.

Cars + Loading Hours 4 PM - 7 AM

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Focus Area Interventions

Examples of Pedestranized Streets The proposed intervention involves converting roads near the market to pedestrian-friendly spaces with street seating and greener medians.

On the left page, the “Before” photo shows a congested marketplace with most of the street dedicated to cars. This would be converted to have more pedestrian space with street seating and greenery.

On the right page, a car-congested street would become a pedestrian thoroughfare with motorcycle lanes (used during off-market hours to avoid collisions with pedestrians).

Before

After

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Before Focus Area Interventions

After

Key Objectives Fulfilled

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Focus Area Interventions

KM 4

Existing Conditions The Km 4 viaduct sits at the intersection of Ruta 2 (east-west) and the Supercarretera (north-south).

The viaduct was built in 2016 by Itaipu Binacional to replace a congested and unsafe roundabout. Despite its infrastructural heft, it is a major activity hub for residents of Ciudad del Este, many of whom consider it the “true center of town”. Because of this locus of activity, many intercity and regional buses detour here to pick up and drop off passengers as they travel along Ruta 2 to Asunción or Foz do Iguaçu.

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Unfortunately, pedestrian infrastructure is considerably lacking. Crosswalks are faded, and pedestrians have to go under the cavernous overpasses. Additionally, only one side of the Supercarretera has sidewalks. Yet it remains an important pedestrian connection, as it is one of the few places where one can cross Ruta 2.

Focus Area Interventions

Intervention Overview In our transit plan, Km 4 sits at the intersection of the Águila BRT and the Búho Frecuente route. This intersection provides an important opportunity to elaborate how three transit services: the Águila, the Búho, and intercity buses, will articulate with each other amidst extensive highway infrastructure. It must create environments that offer comfortable places for transit users to board or transfer services while also offering an inviting place for pedestrians to cross Ruta 2. Central to our plan is the construction of a BRT and intercity bus station on Ruta 2, immediately west of the intersection.

The transfer station includes platforms for BRT and intercity buses, connected by an overhead pedestrian bridge. At each of the side platforms there are waiting rooms for intercity bus passengers. And at the eastern end, there will be ramps leading down to the Supercarretera, the lower level of our transfer station.

Upper Level

The ramps arrive at a building containing a ticketing office and small commercial center located under the viaduct, which is meant to activate this space and make people feel safer using an under-bridge area at night.

On the opposite side of the viaduct is a mototaxi stop and in the middle of the Supercarretera is a bus stop for the Búho bus route.

The upper level of transfer station contains a middle island platform and dedicated bus lanes for the BRT, in addition to two side platforms for the intercity buses and their waiting room structures. Above these platforms is the pedestrian cross-over bridge, which will be open to all, not just BRT or intercity bus customers, serving as a north-south pedestrian connection. The lots to the north and south of the station, currently undeveloped land, and a grocery store parking lot respectively, could be reserved for future transit-oriented development.

Lower Level

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Focus Area Interventions

Km 4 Station Sections

Section across Ruta 2 at intermodal station

As a major transfer station, it is important to visualize how people can connect between the different transit services, in addition to how people can access the station from the street. For this purpose, the following sections visually describe the station from multiple angles.

The section spanning the entire two pages of this spread is the station as viewed from the Supercarretera (essentially a view along Ruta 2 moving east as one moves right and west as one moves left).

The two callout sections cut across the station, looking down Ruta 2 (north as one goes right and south as one moves left). The left callout cuts across the station at the upper level, where the island platforms of the BRT and side platforms (and associated waiting rooms) of the intercity buses can be seen.

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Focus Area Interventions

Section across Ruta 2 at bridge over Ruta 7

The section spanning the entire two pages of this spread is the station as viewed from the Supercarretera (essentially a view along Ruta 2 moving east as one moves right and west as one moves left).

BRT in Quito

Key Objectives Fulfilled

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Focus Area Interventions

CIUDAD NUEVA

Existing Conditions Ciudad Nueva is a prosperous commercial area south of Ruta 2 that is developing very quickly. The development in the area consists of low-rise buildings, and can be classified as low-rise sprawl.

Within Ciudad Nueva, the specific focus of our interventions is at the intersection of Avenida San Jose and Julio Cesar Riquelme. Currently, the medians that

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run along the avenues approaching the intersection are quite narrow and frequently occupied by vendors and vehicles. In addition, angled street parking is common in this section of the city and flooding is a persistent problem.

Focus Area Interventions

Intervention Overview

Existing Intersection

The intersection chosen for redesign falls a little bit further south of Ruta 2 and was chosen due to the location being identified as a quickly growing area of the city.

The proposed redesign seeks to coordinate future development with public transit infrastructure. The recommendation proposes a new bus stop be added to this intersection. In addition, a 5-ft motorcycle lane will be added next to the median, which will help improve road safety. Street trees and planters will also be added to the median to mitigate the impact of flooding and make the area more pleasant for pedestrians.

This intervention also includes a recommendation to encourage denser commercial land use and mixed land use in the long term, in order to concentrate development near the bus stop. By integrating the improved transit system with new development, more residents will be incentivized to take public transit and thus, further promote sustainable development.

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Focus Area Interventions

Examples of Street Redesigns The proposed intervention involves converting the two intersecting avenues into more pedestrian-friendly spaces that are more resilient to flooding and more accessible to transit passengers and motorcycle users.

Both of the “Before” and “After” graphic pairs are for Avenida Julio Cesar Riquelme (north-south).

The “Before” and “After” graphics on the left shows the breakdown of the street section, with the 5-ft motorcycle lanes and the position of the bus shelter for the bus stop.

The “Before” and “After” graphics on the right represent what the street could look like with the proposed redesign.

Before

After

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Before Focus Area Interventions

After

Key Objectives Fulfilled

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Focus Area Interventions

KM 10

Existing Conditions The Km 10 node is an area characterized by sparse residential development with connectivity to the industrial parks in the western part of Ciudad del Este. In order for this area to develop efficiently around the new transit routes, it will be important to further facilitate connectivity to industrial areas of the region not only by creating walkable neighborhoods but by also providing increased access to transit. This can take place with

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denser residential and mixed-use development focused around the newly implemented BRT line.

In addition to allotting more land to both residential and commercial purposes, the government will subsidize land in a program called Subdivision & Services, dedicated to helping residents in low income and floodprone areas access land and better utilities.

Focus Area Interventions

Developing for Density

Vacant & Low-density parcels near Km10

Currently, this area of Ciudad del Este contains many vacant parcels and underutilized space. In order to create a transit line that is convenient and accessible to residents of the city, we have designated zones along the BRT line to promote both mixed-use and residential development.

The vision for this plan is to develop horizontally as opposed to vertically, as residents tend to prefer living in their own homes as opposed to tall high-rise apartments.

By also promoting commercial growth in the area in conjunction with the increased residential land use, this part of the city can become more walkable as resources become located closer to the homes of residents.

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Focus Area Interventions

Subdivision & Services Given the amount of vacant land in the area, Km 10 is an ideal location for a government-led subdivision and infrastructure provision initiative (Subdivision & Services), which also helps to promote density around this node. In this initiative, the municipal government of Ciudad del Este is to purchase vacant land on the designated plots in the area and will subdivide them into parcels to provision to residents of Ciudad del Este who reside in areas at high risk of flooding or in lowincome neighborhoods. These parcels will have access to utility services, like running water and electricity, that those relocated did not have access to previously. Once granted the land, residents can use the self-help model to construct homes to fit their needs and specifications, or can use local businesses to assist with the process.

The main objective with the Subdivision & Services is to provide utilities to residents in areas less susceptible

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to natural disaster, as well as provide more housing to those in less stable living conditions, which also achieves the goal of building more density around the Km 10 node.

Sites and Services Housing Example

Graphic from UN Habitat

While Km 10 is already well-connected by automobile to industrial areas, this plan also seeks to make these centers and other employment zones more accessible by foot and bicycle with the implementation of elevated bridges and ground-level paths for these modes.

Before

Focus Area Interventions

Connectivity to non-motorized nodes

After

Key Objectives Fulfilled

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CONCLUSION

Conclusion

A CITY CONNECTED a city for all...

This plan envisions Ciudad del Este as a transit metropolis that ensures accessibility for all residents by integrating successful transit service with strategic land use policies. The plan seeks to address the city’s current challenges of lacking transit connectivity, road congestion and safety, as well as flooding. Through an improved transit and land use plan, Ciudad Del Este has the potential to better connect people to regional assets, ease congestion into the bustling Microcentro, encourage transit-oriented development along transit nodes to the west to support economic growth, as well as reclaim the waterfront as a more integrated public amenity. With these recommendations, Ciudad del Este can become a more inviting place that both residents and visitors can be proud to enjoy, now and in the future.

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Conclusion

REFERENCES

ABC Color. “Inundaciones y Accidentes a Causa De Lluvia En Alto Paraná - Nacionales - ABC Color.” Ir a ABC, ABC Color, 1 Feb. 2021, www.abc.com.py/nacionales/2021/02/01/inundaciones-y-accidentes-a-causa-de-lluvia-en-alto-parana/.

AHORACDE, Editor. “Circularon CARGAS Por Cerca De US$ 5 Mil Millones Por El PUENTE De La AMISTAD En Plena PANDEMIA.” AHORACDE,

20

Jan.

2021,

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