From early 20th-century hygienism to the macro-planning of urbanization in the 1970s, the urban model aimed at carving out wide avenues to connect neighborhoods (the center and its extensions) via motorized transport: the city on wheels. This North American urbanization model, adopted by Brazilian cities, privileges high-rise development and private vehicles over public transit.
Although this mindset of building road infrastructure to accommodate more and more cars still persists, it contrasts sharply with successful systems in cities like Amsterdam, Barcelona, Bogotá, and Curitiba. In these cities, transit intermodality prevails, creating an adaptable system that integrates non-motorized and public transit.
