Motorization

1. Motorization The impacts of motorization and what can be done to mitigate them

2. Income and Motorization Motorization is highly correlated with income. Differences in land use can lead to different levels, but not different paths, of motorization. Severe constraint, as in Singapore and Hong Kong, is the only way to limit motorization.

3. Competing road space demands cannot be satisfied Even wide downtown streets become congested when many different users compete for road space.

4. Congestion is not only a work-day problem Even at night, congestion can be a serious problem when high motorization is combined with an active social lifestyle

5. You cannot buy your way out of congestion The costs of providing for high motorization and mixed road uses can be prohibitive for cities in developing countries. More roads inevitably lead to more traffic.

6. The first signs of congestion If these rickshaws become motorized there will be insufficient road capacity, unless some form of mass transit is introduced and made attractive to users.

7. Physical barriers are not enough Physical barriers alone are not enough to ensure separation of motorized from non-motorized transport. Enforcement is also needed.

8. Enforcement of separation benefits all users Physical separation and strong enforcement are to the benefit of both motorized and non motorized transport, as well as pedestrians

9. High volumes help non motorized transport At low levels of motorization, it is the powered transport that is inconvenienced most. Numbers help protect non-motorized users from the dangers of mixed traffic.

10. Taxis offer high mobility downtown Taxis offer an alternative to car use in downtown areas. They have a higher average occupancy than private cars and can mitigate the need for parking space.

11. Alternatives to private vehicle use Metros can offer a high quality of service, but their integration with other transport modes is essential if they are to fulfill their potential and justify their high cost.

12. Curitiba - an integrated solution Curitiba has perhaps the highest level of integration of mass transit modes of any developing city. These enclosed bus interchanges allow boarding and alighting at floor level and payment of the fare beforeboarding.

13. Visual and social intrusion The negative visual and social intrusion of new urban roads could be diminished through better design.

14. Motorization also helps rural access Motorization is not just an urban transport issue. Improved rural roads are essential if rural accessibility is to be improved, and they inevitably lead to higher rates of motorization.

15. What are the social impacts of increased motorization? Motorization does not always bring its expected advantages. Will the new road bring increased prosperity to the village, or accelerate migration away? Will more traffic destroy the village’s cultural life?

16. Too much of a good thing Roadside stalls depend on sales to vehicle occupants, but when traffic becomes too heavy, they are forced to move away.

17. Comments on this display We welcome your opinions on this display and what it says about Motorization and the Bank’s strategy in dealing with it. If you want to tell us about the way the message is presented, or the message itself, please send an e-mail message to: RCarruthers@Worldbank.org