Outdoor escalator opens in Medellin slum in Colombia
The Colombian city of Medellin has opened a giant outdoor escalator for residents of one of its poorest areas. The escalator is divided into six sections and ascends nearly 384m (1,260ft) in the steep hillside district of Comuna 13.
Residents used to climb hundreds of steps to get home from the city centre, but the journey now takes just 6 minutes.
The escalators will initially operate for three hours each day, but that should increase next year.
There is also a plan to build a cover for the escalator to protect commuters from bad weather.
27 Dec 2011