By Ron Thaniel
November 22, 2010

The U.S. Conference of Mayors Transportation and Communications Chair Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed hosted The Americas Competitiveness Forum Mayors Summit on transportation, sustainability, infrastructure, and economic development on November 15 in Atlanta.

A panel of international mayors presented best practices, and Conference of Mayors CEO and Executive Director Tom Cochran moderated the discussion. Barranquilla, Columbia Mayor Alejandro Char shared Barranquilla's experiences with Bus Rapid Transit (BRT), which has eliminated more than 2,000 highly polluting buses. President of the National Federation of Municipalities of Mexico Ecatepec Mayor Dr. Eruviel Avila Villegas discussed Mexibus, which is a joint initiative between the private and public sectors. San Miguel de Tucuman Mayor Domingo Luis Amaya spoke to projects that linked transportation with workforce development and environmental sustainability. Joining the mayors was Dekalb County (GA) CEO Burrell Ellis who discussed his experiences working in a public/private partnership to transform a closed GM plant into a transit-oriented mixed-use community.

The Americas Competitiveness Forum is a gathering of 34 countries in the Western Hemisphere to exchange knowledge on the issues and challenges facing the world today.