Central and South America

Argentina To Build High-Speed Rail Line

3 May 2008 - 5:00am
Financial Times

The first high-speed train in the Americas -- which will be built by a consortium led by France's Alstom -- will cut travel times between Buenos Aires and cities of Rosario and Córdoba by more than two-thirds.

Tackling Traffic In A City Of 11 Million

19 April 2008 - 7:00am
International Herald Tribune

In Sao Paulo, Brazil, planners are challenged with untangling traffic jams that stretch for over 120 miles.

How Drugs Kill Forests

18 April 2008 - 9:00am
Scientific American

Drug traffickers, growers and drug law enforcement agents are wreaking havok on the forests of Central America, where large plots of forest are clear-cut for drug crop growing and sprayed to eliminate illicit substances.

Chavez Seeks Shangri-La with 'Socialist Cities'

1 April 2008 - 9:00am
Christian Science Monitor

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez is pushing plans to create "21st century socialist cities" -- communities based on public participation and cooperation -- juxtaposed next to fiercely capitalist developments in the rest of the country.

Seeing the Forest for the Trees

28 March 2008 - 10:00am
Independent (UK)

A groundbreaking deal recognizing the economic value of intact forests will not only preserve a million acres of rainforest in Guyana but establish a precedent for future such arrangements.

Land Value Impacts of Bus Rapid Transit: The Case of Bogotá’s TransMilenio

25 March 2008 - 1:00pm
Lincoln Institute, Land Lines

During the last decade, bus rapid transit (BRT) has revolutionized regional transportation planning in much of the developing and developed world.

Planning in Venezuela's Communal Councils

25 March 2008 - 10:00am
Progressive Planning

This article from Progressive Planning looks at the communal councils being set up in Venezuela and the progress they have made in local planning efforts.

Prince's Foundation Hopes to Salvage Kingston Ghetto

12 March 2008 - 10:00am
Guardian

Crippling violence and dangerous streets in the Rose Town area of Kingston, Jamaica, have motivated Prince Charles to bring his Foundation for Architecture and Urbanism to the island ghetto to attempt a rebirth.

Changing Climate May Complicate Panama Canal Operations

3 March 2008 - 2:00pm
NPR

This report from NPR looks at how climate change may affect the future of the Panama Canal.

'Oldest Urban Site' Unearthed

27 February 2008 - 2:00pm
Los Angeles Times

What may be the oldest urban site in the world has been unearthed in Peru.

Retirees Flee to Find Stronger Dollar

23 February 2008 - 8:00am
The Wall Street Journal

Retirees are increasingly moving to Central and South America to retire and take advantage of economies where the dollar retains some strength.

A Town Built and Sustained By Cocaine

11 February 2008 - 2:00pm
The New Zealand Herald

Classified by Nicaragua's government as a "Autonomous Area", the town of Bluefields, population 50,000, has an official unemployment rate of 85%. The primary industry is finding abandoned bags of cocaine that drift in from the sea.

A Look at BRT in Bogota

28 January 2008 - 1:00pm
Streetsblog

This video from Streetfilms shows and explains the workings of Bogota, Colombia's bus rapid transit system -- one of the world's most highly regarded systems.

Most Hated Transit System

15 December 2007 - 8:00am
Time

The new public transit system in Santiago, Chile, is having implementation troubles, and it's leaving many commuters upset.

Universal Sanitation Far Off In Brazil

11 December 2007 - 7:00am
Inter Press Service

At the current rate of infrastructure spending for sewer construction and other sanitation measures, there won't be universal access to sanitation in Brazil fore more than 115 years.

Ciclovía: A Moving Experience in Bogotá, Colombia

4 December 2007 - 6:00am
Streetsblog

Every Sunday from 7am to 2pm, up to 2 million residents of Bogotá, Colombia enjoy over 70 miles of car-free streets. The event is called Ciclovía. StreetFilms brings you along for the ride.

Venezuela Plans New Cities As Socialist Utopias

30 November 2007 - 6:00am
Washington Post

President Hugo Chávez is guiding government plans to create several brand new cities to serve as models of social and environmental harmony.

The World's Skinniest House

7 November 2007 - 2:00pm
Ah Boon

Take a tour inside what may be the skinniest house ever built -- the bite-sized answer to the McMansion.

What It Looks Like When Bikes Are Part of the Transit System

31 October 2007 - 2:00pm
Streetsblog

Bogotá, Colombia has made significant efforts to integrate bicycling facilities into its TransMilenio Bus Rapid Transit system. The New York City Streets Renaissance team was there to learn more and take a look.

Saloon City

29 October 2007 - 11:00am
The New York Times

Belo Horizonte is by no means a well-known city from the South American country of Brazil. But with more than 12,000 bars, the city is gaining notoriety as one of the world's best places to drink.