Transit oriented development in Buenos Aires, Argentina: comparing Puerto Madero and the Microcentro

Transit oriented development (TOD) approaches to urban and regional planning have advanced significantly in recent years, and they have begun to influence transport strategies in Latin America. Two examples from one of Latin America’s megacities, Buenos Aires, serve to illustrate the challenges and opportunities created by TOD strategies. The redevelopment of the long-derelict Puerto Madero district facing the R'o de la Plata aimed to embed TOD practices into the urban renewal project. Failure to incorporate public transit into the project left Puerto Madero isolated from the city’s transit network and discouraged growth in the district’s resident population. A new citywide mobility plan in 2009 focused on Avenida 9 de Julio that links the northern and southern rail hubs and the downtown core, and aimed to transform the corridor into a modern, efficient, bus rapid transit (BRT) network. Drawing on TOD principles, project goals also aimed to pedestrianize more than 100 blocks of the city centre, extend the EcoBici bike-share programme, build a 300 km cycling network, and improve safety for pedestrians at critical intersections. Current evidence suggests that this project has been successful, unlike Puerto Madero, with a BRT system in operation since 2013 and several city blocks converted to a more welcoming pedestrian and cycling environment.