TRANSPORT AND MEGA-EVENTS: TRENDS, DEVELOPMENTAL IMPACTS AND TYPOLOGICAL ANALYSIS

Mega events pose a number of special problems in terms of transportation logistics and traffic management for three essential reasons: the convergence of heavy flows of spectators, players and logistical personnel at one or several sites; a temporary concentration of traffic flows causing hyper-points of congestion for automobile traffic, public transportation and pedestrians; and a high proportion of unusual and non-repetitive trips, giving rise to problems of orientation, information and communication, signalling and ticketing. This paper attempts to quantify the phenomenon of mega events, to access its evolution, to establish an overall typology for it and to indicate some reference points for measuring its economic, social and developmental impacts.