As authorities arrive for Rio+20, the city of Rio experiences traffic problems

Around 50 heads of state and government with entourages arrived in the city yesterday for the Rio+20 United Nations Sustainable Development Conference. Cariocas, as the residents of Rio de Janerio are known, had some problems with the traffic.

Businessman Eli de Freitas, anticipating problems, says he left home in Penha, north area (“zona norte”) of the city early for a 10:00 am meeting in Barra da Tijuca, west area. But simply gave up, canceled everything by phone and went back home. “I left the house at 8:00 am because I knew traffic would be bad. I did not know it would be impossible. The Linha Amarela expressway was at a total standstill and the Linha Vermelha expressway, now with an exclusive lane for Rio+20 authorities, is worse. I just turned around and went back to north area and did some business there. I have decided to schedule all business outside my neighborhood for after Rio+20. It is just impossible to go anywhere until the event is over,” he told Agência Brasil.

Pedro Leitão, a lawyer, said he had to cross the south area of the city to get downtown. Well, that was the idea. Yesterday, Tuesday, June 19, it took him much, much longer than usual. “The traffic on the roads along the bay was jammed up all over the place. Some lanes were not moving at all. I just hope that the sacrifice that cariocas are making is worthwhile; I mean, I hope something good comes out of Rio+20. You know, a document with concrete commitments that the heads of state will sign,” he said.

Army soldiers are guarding overpasses on Avenida Brasil and expressways from the airport to the area where Rio+20 is taking place and hotels are located (south area). Some 450 motorcycle policemen are being used to escort authorities. Some 70,000 people are expected to arrive in the next few days, including over 100 heads of state and government. Rio+20 ends on June 22.

Along with the summit there are literally hundreds of other events taking place – debates and activities – for example, at the Summit of the Indigenous Peoples and the Humanity Space 2012.