Cities in developing countries are facing increasing congestion and have no simple tools to measure its impacts and define proper solutions. The study developed simple and reliable procedures to measure congestion levels and related externalities, such as excess travel time, fuel consumption and pollutant emissions, and the impact on the cost of bus operation (the dominant mode). Current conditions were measured in ten middle and large Brazilian cities. It was found that every year, in the case of severe congestion (road capacity at full use), the ten cities waste 500 million passenger-hours and 250 million gasoline litres, and throw in the atmosphere 123,000 extra tons of CO and 11,000 extra tons of HC. Buses are severely damaged by congestion, with large cities having to place in service from 12 to 30% extra buses, with direct consequence on fares. The procedures may easily be used by developing countries, at low costs.
Abstract