Increasing urban density is key to public transit

Increasing urban density near existing public transportation systems is more ideal than expanding transit lines to low-density areas to serve more passengers, urban mobility expert Clayton Lane told BNamericas.

"Lower density areas require more kilometers of transit to reach the same number of people, so building a quick and efficient system in these areas is much more expensive," said Lane, CEO of New York-based non-profit Institute for Transportation and Development Policy (ITDP).

A more sustainable solution would be to build more households and businesses next to existing collective transportation systems. This should go hand in hand with building pedestrian infrastructure to cover walks of less than 500m, and bicycle lanes for longer distances, he added.

For the full interview with Lane, click here.