Transport hub named the Paralympic Terminal in Rio de Janeiro

As a lasting legacy of the upcoming Rio 2016 Paralympic Games, the Mayor of Rio has named a major transport hub in the city “the Paralympic Terminal”.

Last weekend Mayor Paes opened the Transolimpica, a new 26km road which links two major competition venues of the Rio 2016 Games; the Olympic Park in Barra da Tijuca and Deodoro Sports Complex.

The new route is expected to cut journey times for athletes, fans and officials attending the Paralympic Games which open on 7 September.

The new expressway also includes a Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) for articulated buses which around 70,000 people are expected to use every day once it is fully operational.

The newly named Paralympic Terminal is the main station that integrates the Transolimpica BRT with the existing Transoeste BRT corridor.

Xavier Gonzalez, IPC Chief Executive Officer, said: “We are delighted that the Mayor of Rio has named one of the city’s main transport hubs the Paralympic Terminal.

“The new Tansolimpica BRT is a key legacy of the Games. It is fully accessible for all and will significantly reduce travel times, which will be particularly important for us during Games time.”

Construction of the transport link began in July 2012 with the BRT corridor and the road, which has two lanes for other vehicles in each direction, costing EUR 600 million to build.

During September’s Paralympic Games, the Barra Olympic Park will host 13 Paralympic sports, whilst Deodoro will stage four sports.