The potential for using urban growth management for transportation system enhancements in Developing countries : the case of the Santiago, Chile Metropolitan Region

Abstract

This thesis explores the potentials for using urban growth management tools to improve transportation system performance in a developing country context, focusing specifically on the case of the Santiago de Chile metropolitan area. In industrialized countries, such as the United States, recent years have seen a renewed focus on using urban growth management for achieving mobility goals. This work looks at how such tools might be deployed in a rapidly growing urban environment, characterized by evolving institutional structures, major changes in transportation demand and services, and pressing economic, social, and environmental constraints. The thesis firs begins with an overview of the national political and administrative structure in Chile - the institutional context within which growth management must function. The thesis then presents the Santiago metropolitan area, overviewing demographics, the economy, the transportation system, urban growth patterns, and the environment. Then, the range of current instruments used for growth management in Chile and Santiago are presented, along with other relevant influences such as the public finance system. The following section reviews the real estate market, focusing on the emergence of large developers and their associated "megaprojects," which play a major role in shaping the city's growth patterns and trends. Finally, the thesis concludes with major findings, recommendations for improvements to the current growth management system, and areas for future work.