Brazil opens Rio bus system planned for World Cup
Brazil marks opening of bus rapid transit system planned for World Cup
6/1/2014RIO DE JANEIRO — Brazil has delivered parts of one of the costliest infrastructure projects built ahead of the World Cup in Rio de Janeiro.
President Dilma Rouseff rode a bus to mark Sunday’s official opening of a $700 million bus corridor for quickly moving people between the airport and subway stations in the western part of the city. None of Rio’s subway lines go to the international airport.
The Transcarioca bus system is a 24-mile (39-kilometer) line with dedicated lanes for buses that are expected to carry 320,000 passengers a day.
While the line is now open, not all of its bus stations have been completed.
The bus project joins a list of infrastructure projects that will not be fully completed by the June 12 start of soccer’s premier tournament.
Officials are still rushing work at stadiums and at airports, but have acknowledged some projects won’t be finished on time, adding to worries about how Brazil will handle event expected to attract 600,000 tourists from other countries. Of the 12 host cities, Rio de Janeiro is expecting the most foreigners, at about 90,000.
The World Cup has also sparked anger from groups unhappy about the billions of dollars spent for both the World Cup and the 2016 Olympics.
Outside the station where Rouseff arrived, protesters gathered to complain about a lack of spending on education, and teachers threatened to strike if the government didn’t increase their salaries.