By Judith Ugwumadu | 22 October 2014

A Brazilian city will receive almost $60m in infrastructure funding to improve its public transportation system, the Inter-American Development bank has announced.

The 25-year loan will finance Fortaleza’s urban transportation improvement programme which is intended to overhaul existing infrastructure to deal with increasing demands.

Priority bus and bike lanes would be built with the money, covering a total of 11km and 22km respectively, the bank said. 

‘The project will help improve management of the public transportation system as well as upgrade the infrastructure and landscape areas surrounding targeted corridors,’ it stated.

‘With 2.45 million people, Fortaleza is Brazil’s fifth largest city. It is also the country’s most densely populated urban area. Its public transportation system, which carries 1 million passengers a day, receives poor ratings for its slow and disorderly services.’

It added that the $57.9m loan would also promote sustainable urban mobility.