Urban Centralities as a Tool for Urban Regeneration

This article was written by Andrés Alcalá, Senior Executive at the Directorate of Infrastructure Analysis and Technical Evaluation, and Bárbara Zamora, Executive at the CAF Directorate of Analysis and Technical Evaluation for Sustainable Development

Many Latin American cities have experienced rapid territorial growth, with major consequences not only in access to utilities, such as clean water, sanitation, transport, or public spaces, but also to all opportunities that make living in the city appealing, such as education, jobs, recreation and health care. In most cases, this expansion has occurred haphazardly and with a greater urban footprint, which creates inefficiencies and inequity in the territory, limiting access of citizens furthest away from the city center.

With this expansion in the urban territory, we should ideally be able to project the growth rate, and thus conceive measures that help plan and lay out such expansion. The most common answer in Latin American cities has been to come up with ways to connect the city center with the outskirts, which has resulted in congested centers and poor access to opportunities for suburban residents. However, there are urban instruments—such as creation of urban centralities—that can be used to consolidate, organize and strengthen new urban centers in the territory. But, what exactly are urban centralities? They are simply multi-functional, self-sufficient spaces located in different parts of the city that seek to balance the distribution of facilities, jobs, housing and reduce travel costs. To implement a system of urban centralities it is necessary to strengthen urban planning and develop a mobility strategy. In addition, several planning and intervention tools have been developed over the last decade in the area of mobility such as Sustainable Transport Oriented Developments, tactical urban planning, and/or complete streets, which—together with land use planning—can improve decision-making of administrations to decentralize the city’s activities.

At CAF, we have been working with the municipality of Jaraguá do Sul (Brazil) through strategic investments planned by the municipality. Jaraguá do Sul is located in the state of Santa Catarina and has an area of 529.5 km2, a population of 174,158 inhabitants (IBGE 2018), with a relatively low population density of 328.9 people per sq. km and a population growth rate of 2.8% per year.

The evolution of urban growth took place due to the formation of isolated nuclei, as well as an expansion along the banks of the main rivers (Jaraguá and Itapocú). The urban layout is highly influenced by a main road (BR280) and a railway line that runs through the city and part of the historic center, crossing the urban perimeter, and is associated with disconnected traffic between outer neighborhoods and the center. The urban fabric expanded and left a city marked by spatial fragmentation. In this sense, geographical and physical barriers shape the layout of the city and its road network. It is precisely this condition that sets the priorities of the municipality in terms of accessibility and improvements in network connectivity. The city does not have an efficient public transport or non-motorized transport system—given the oversupply of routes, long and irregular routes and the lack of connectivity in the bicycle lane network. Over the last few years this has led to deterioration, reduced accessibility and longer times in daily commutes due to congestion.

Despite significant efforts being made in the consolidation of various urban, mobility and sanitation plans, the results of which are clearly reflected in the overall progress shown by the municipality, there is still an urgent need for improvements in these areas, particularly considering the difficulties in accessibility for those who are usually travelling on foot, in non-motorized vehicles, or in collective transport, due to the lack of sidewalks, bicycle lanes, or deficient signage, lighting and urban furnishings to enable these movements safely.

On the other hand, due to unprecedented growth in the outskirts of the city, provision of infrastructure and public services such as water, sanitation, drainage, and deterioration in road and urban infrastructure, has been a challenge for municipal management. Similarly, there is deterioration of street furniture and scarce public spaces in the city.

Therefore, to reverse this process and improve the territorial imbalance in the supply of services, jobs, green areas, public space, among others, the strategy envisaged by the municipality is to generate new urban centralities, based on spatial, historical and cultural characteristics of the city.

To consolidate and strive for the success of these new centralities, measured in greater economic and leisure activity taking place in a decentralized manner, it is important to ensure access to them primarily through sustainable transport. Regarding sustainable mobility, the objectives focus on reducing travel times, as well as the reduced use of private vehicles, replacing it with collective or non-motorized public modes. In addition, and to promote a more sustainable modal distribution, it is important to consider the reasons for the trips, understanding that most are for work or education, which will determine the consolidation of a new centrality, if it is ultimately established with this combination of uses and activities.

To support this urban development process, CAF recently approved—under the Cities with a Future Initiative—funding for up to USD 50 million for the Jaraguá do Sul Sustainable Urban Development and Requalification Program, which aims to design and update plans to create new urban centralities by expanding coverage and improving the quality of public services, setting targets of urban renewal (expansion and revitalization of parks, leisure and sports areas), revamping the connectivity system, transport nodes and urban transport (road paving, expansion of bicycle lane networks, among others) and expansion of the sewerage system with a disaster risk management perspective in case of flooding or rivers.

These examples show that a city has different planning tools at its disposal, and if infrastructure prioritization derives from a spatial analysis to identify where the opportunities lie and understand the obstacles that hinder physical connection, it is possible to help improve levels of inclusion and productivity in Latin American cities.