Known for its public transit system, Curitiba is taking an interesting step toward active mobility. Since last week, the capital of Paraná has been testing a type of pavement that generates electricity from the vibrations created along its bike paths.
Installed on the Belém River bridge near the Palácio 29 de Março in the city's Civic Center, the pavement captures vibrations from bicycles and pedestrians, converting them into enough electricity to power signal lights along the path.
One of the project's goals is to make bike paths safer by directing the generated energy to improve signaling at critical points, such as intersections with vehicular traffic. The system will also monitor high-traffic segments, collecting data that can later be used to guide the planning and improvement of the network.
The initiative is part of a cooperation agreement between the Japanese company Soundpower Corporation and the City of Curitiba, through the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and the Japanese Ministry of Industry, which are funding the expansion of this technology. The project will come at no cost to the city government.
According to the local newspaper Gazeta do Povo, starting in the second half of this year, the technology will be "implemented across 18.5 kilometers of bike paths—shared lanes on public streets, such as bike lanes, will not be included."
Source: Gazeta do Povo and Mobilize.
This article was written by Romullo Baratto. The translation is powered by AI.
