El conocimiento de la vulnerabilidad de la red vial como herramienta de comprensión y reducción de la vulnerabilidad territorial: el caso de La Paz (Bolivia)

• Main Authors: Javier Núñez-Villalba, Florent Demoraes
• Format: Article
• Language: Spanish
• Published: Institut Français d'Études Andines 2009-12-01
• Series: Bulletin de l'Institut Français d'Études Andines
• Subjects: Metropolis of La Paz; La Paz; El Alto; Bolivia; road network; critical road infrastructures
• Online Access: http://journals.openedition.org/bifea/2497
• ISSN: 0303-7495; 2076-5827

This paper presents the main results of an investigation of road disruptions generated within the Metropolis of La Paz by two events: a natural one and a social-related one. The first one was produced by a strong hailstorm on the 19th of February 2002, and the second one, called «The Gas War», resulted from riots and road blockades in October 2003. Both events led to the most severe disturbances that the metropolis had to face in recent times. This article aims at pinpointing the places that were the most affected in each case and at understanding why the impacts of these two events were so critical and so widespread. The methodology implemented to answer these questions is examined. We also demonstrate the relevancy of analysing road network vulnerabilities in order to assess the vulnerability of a territory as a whole.