Rousseff supports urban mobility investments against urban crisis

President Dilma Rousseff Said Thursday (Mar. 13) that Brazil should already have started urban mobility works and that local governments should make investments in order to prevent medium-sized cities from facing problems in this area, as is the case with the big urban centers in the country. “We’re delayed because we didn’t do what we had to in some cities,” Rousseff declared.

During a ceremony at the Palácio do Planalto, head of the Brazilian government, Rousseff announced that $1.617 billion are to be invested in urban mobility works as part of the government’s Accelerated Growth Program, known as “PAC”.

In Rousseff’s view, the government’s investments in public transportation and urban mobility over the last years should also be made as a preventive measure, so that the problems faced by the big cities can be avoided in smaller urban centers.

The president urged governors and mayors to develop projects and meet the deadlines set for already-initiated plans. “I’m counting [on you] to make sure that the works start immediately. Because, as we’re dealing with a historical delay, current leaders of Brazil are not the ones to blame – but we must all share this heritage […] We’ll have to reduce the distance between the needs of the people and the investments,” she said.

She further pointed out that the outcomes of urban mobility projects can be seen in the production of equipment, creation of jobs, and quality transportation.

“We must take the purpose of these mobility programs into consideration, which is to develop the city as well as the country. Mobility works draw the attention to another issue: they generate a demand for the production of equipment in Brazil: subway networks, bus lines – equipment that’s necessary and bring about the creation of jobs.”

Translated by Fabrício Ferreira