Question: From your capacity as president of the Subchapter “Transport” of ENGINEERING 2010-ARGENTINA, which should be the most relevant topics to be dealt with in the meeting of this Subchapter next 2010?
Máximo Fioravanti: Out of the whole subject of transport, the scope of this subchapter has been limited to Large Metropolises. Accordingly, two wide topics have been chosen:
A – Implications of increasing energy restrictions worldwide, on transport policies in large cities; and the new technological developments that engineering may contribute with to reduce its consumption.
B – Analysis of international experiences as regards the coordination of policies and the complementation of transport means, when there are several jurisdictions, with the purpose of making transport more efficient and of mitigating the increasing demand for it.

Question: Which do you think is the most important problem at present in the main metropolises, as regards transport?
Máximo Fioravanti: In Argentina, the city that enters into the category of Large Metropolises is obviously Buenos Aires, which has the doubtful merit of being among the twelve largest metropolitan areas worldwide. The main problem of transport of the Metropolitan Area of Buenos Aires (Spanish acronym, AMBA) is a consequence of the excessive growth, without a break, as a result of the pressure of real state interests, disorder and discontinuity of land-use policies. In short, lack of vision and of strategic planning.
The problems all this causes grow faster than technical solutions and the possible investments on the part of the community and the State.
We hope that the conclusions of ENGINEERING 2010 – ARGENTINA help the other large cities of our country, such as Rosario, where the aforementioned difficulties have not yet reached an irreversible level.
Besides, in the AMBA, there are overlapped jurisdictions that cannot be justified, and others that have not yet been able to agree on and coordinate national policies and measures to improve the supply, quality and efficiency of transport in the area.
On the other hand, the transport sector is a relevant user of energy resources and a great producer of environmental pollution.    

Question: Which would be the possible solutions for these problems?
Máximo Fioravanti: Some solutions are not strictly related to engineering, such as road safety education and awareness and the modification of behaviors of people living in the metropolitan area as regards the use of public areas and means of transport. The other solutions require a political agreement and the effects would be observed in the very long run; and, consequently, they should begin immediately.
Among short-term solutions, we may mention:
Setting of policies that encourage the decentralization of activities in the area.
Change of jurisdiction of suburban railroad trains in favor of a tripartite entity formed by the City of Buenos Aires, and the provincial and the national governments.
Change of jurisdiction as regards buses, from the national government to the government of the City of Buenos Aires.
Expansion of subway network.
Implementation of BRT(Bus Rapid Transit) in several corridors until the subway infrastructure may be built.
Renewal of the bus fleet, through the addition of double-articulated vehicles.
Gradual change to electric traction. Addition of catenary-free tramways.
Modification of bus lines, routes and stops to improve the complementation with other means of transport. Setting of fixed compulsory time-tables with improved rush hour frequencies.
Implementation of a single card to use all the rapid transit means of the area.
Elevation or tunneling of suburban railroad lines, as appropriate for each stretch.
Change of jurisdiction of the Port Buenos Aires from the national government to the government of the City of Buenos Aires.
Transfer of Aeroparque Airport runway to the River Plate (aero island).

Question: Which is the effect of energy restrictions on the problems of urban transport?
Máximo Fioravanti: It will have the collateral beneficial effect of reducing pollution. But, at the same time, transport will become increasingly more expensive.