Proposal for an Urban Transport

Strategy for Colombo Urban AreaStrategy for Colombo Urban Area

National Transport Commission

Presentation to the Sri Lanka Police/Ministry of Defense, Sri Lanka

2009

Background

• Original plan developed in December 2007

• Approved by Cabinet

• Submitted to Supreme Court• Submitted to Supreme Court

• Presently, implementation reviewed by court

• Included in Transport Policy

People Coming to Colombo• 830,000 people arrive to the City from outside every day.

• Of this, 90% arrive by road 10% by rail.

• The road passengers enter the city through 12 roads and 3 railway lines.

Motor Cycle

Utility

14%

Buses

56%

Train

10% Car/Saloon

11%

Motor Cycle

5% 3wheeler

4%

Vehicles Coming to Colombo

• 750,000 people arrive to the city by road.

• They arrive in 200,000 vehicles made up as.

– 11,000 buses

– 15,000 goods vehicles and

– 175,000 private vehicles

• Presently 15% of the road space is utilized for buses and vans even though they transport 80% of the road passengers. they transport 80% of the road passengers.

• On the other hand, 65% of the road space is used by private and hired vehicles which in sum total carry only 38% of the passengers.

• The balance 20% are for goods vehicles.

• In addition to the vehicles entering the city, there are a further 250,000 vehicles registered within the Colombo Municipal Area.

Transport in Colombo City (in and out)

Daily Passengers in Both Directions at the CMC Boundary (1965-2005) Corridor Pax

1965 (000s)

AAGR 65-85 %

Pax 1985 (000s)

AAGR 85-95 %

Pax 1995 (000s)

AAGR 95-05 %

Pax 2005 (000s)

Galle Road 91 5.8% 279 1.7% 331 1.0% 365

Neg’bo & Kandy Rds 118 6.2% 400 3.6% 607 -1.0% 553 Ratnapura Rd 62 4.2% 141 3.9% 206 -0.5% 196 Ratnapura Rd 62 4.2% 141 3.9% 206 -0.5% 196

Cotta Rd/SJP Rd 45 3.5% 89 10.8% 249 1.3% 278 Horana Rd 21 5.2% 58 8.1% 126 -1.3% 111

Wellampitiya Rd 38 2.0% 56 0.1% 59 -0.3% 57

Narahenpita Rd 12 6.2% 40 0.1% 35 2.8% 46 Ambatale Rd 32 12.0% 63 -0.8% 58 TOTAL 387 5.3% 1,095 4.4% 1,676 -0.6% 1,572

Passenger growth was 4-5% per year from 1965 to 1995, but has become negative

after 1995.

11,000

175,000

13,000

105,000175,000

Car Ownership Vs Income

0.4

0.5

0.6

0.7

0.8

0.9

Car

Ow

ner

ship

Rate

C1 : High Growth

C2: Moderate to High

C3 : Low to Moderate

C4 : Low

U.S.A.

C1

C2

C3

Australia,,

Canada,

New Zealand,

Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France,

The Ultimate Challenge in Transport: Managing the Trend to Motorization

0

0.1

0.2

0.3

0.4

850 5,850 10,850 15,850 20,850 25,850 30,850 35,850

Per Capita Income (US $)

Car

Ow

ner

ship

Rate

C4

SL

Germany,, Japan, Switzerland, Sweden

Singaphore, Hong Kong

The Problem

Centralized Commercial Development

Residential AreaCongestion at peak hours

Predictions for the next decade………..

• Road congestion will increase, travel times will increase

• As a result, number of people coming to the city will decrease,

• A number of business establishments will migrate to suburbs or become uncompetitive

• congestion will remain at a dynamic equilibrium (as has been the case since 1990s)

• Colombo will continue as a commercial capital which will operate at a sub-optimal level with no planned alternate to take its place or become competitive with fast developing cities in the region.

Solutions in Urban Transport Strategy

for Colombo

• Statement 1:

To reduce the number of vehicles circulating within

urban area.

• Progress

– Has targeted reduction of 50,000 vehicle entries to cities.

– Need to define threshold speed. Eg. Singapore sets it at – Need to define threshold speed. Eg. Singapore sets it at

20km/hr , 3 km/hr above the ‘break up’ speed where ‘stop

and go’ (congested) traffic condition occurs.

– Need to determine if more road space can be added to

urban road network.

Public Transport Strategy for Reducing the Traffic Load on Roads

Centralized Commercial Development

Residential Area

Served by Quality Public Transport

• Statement 2:

To increase commuter railway passengers carried to

Colombo and other urban areas by improving

services and providing new connections where

feasible.

• Status:

– New Rolling Stock Introduced

– Inter-Modal Connections being improved

– Park and Ride at stations to be considered

• Statement 3:

To ensure that at least 1/10th of space of all roads within

urban areas provided exclusively for non-motorized transport

such as for sidewalks for walking and bicycle lanes.

• Status

– No initiative to date

– Can we have at least a trial bicycle lane? – Marine Drive?

– Can we have standards for sidewalks and crossings in Urban areas?

– A pedestrian mall somewhere?

• Statement 4:

To undertake a complete re-planning of public transport

systems within urban areas and suburbs in order to reduce

overlapping routes, promote bus priority and bus only roads,

reduce transfers, promote inter-modal transfers and reduce

bus trips and bus parking in city centers.bus trips and bus parking in city centers.

• Status

• Timetabling of all bus routes underway

• Bus Route re-planning discussions commenced

• Plan to develop Dematagoda/Talangama/Angulana as peripheral bus

terminals?

Public Transport in

City of ColomboPettah

Dematagoda

BorellaBorella

Narahenpita

• Statement 5:

To reduce the number of goods vehicles moving within high

density urban areas during traffic hours by relocating or

decentralizing logistics and distribution activities away from

congested areas and by enforcing truck bans where

appropriate.

• Status

– SLPA is to implement (a) reduction of empty truck trips, (b) increasing

night time operations, (c ) rail based option to transfer to dry port

– Can we enforce partial truck bans?

• Statement 6:

To plan to introduce Road Pricing and Parking Fees as a

measure of managing traffic levels on a long term basis to be

implemented after satisfactory public transport alternatives

are provided to private vehicle users.

• Status

– Alternatives to Private Vehicles – Alternatives to Private Vehicles

• Park and Ride

• Premium Bus Service

• BRT

• Airport Service

• TDM and ERP investigative studies begun

• Parking Fees matter requires high level agreement and

political commitment by CMC

• Statement 7:

To identify & preserve railway land in the city and its suburbs

for future development of transport based facilities such as

passenger terminals and park and ride facilities and

appropriate high density urban development activities that

are consistent with and are part of such transport

developments.

Status• Status

• Katubedda –already developed and Dematagoda, Kadawatha,

Talangama identified to be developed as Park and Ride sites

• Bastian Mawatha to be developed as a modern multi modal transport

terminal with connections between rail and bus.

• Statement 8

To ensure that at least 1/3rd of existing road space on major

highways within a dense urban area be reserved for high

occupancy vehicles. Such areas to be utilized for high priority

bus lanes, light transit systems (trams) or bus rapid transit

(BRT) systems in order to improve usage efficiency by reducing (BRT) systems in order to improve usage efficiency by reducing

large numbers of buses and other vehicles.

• Status

– First – contra-flow bus lane ready to construct -Reid Avenue

– First –with flow bus lane being designed on Galle Road

– BRT as a modern mass transit system for Colombo?

Capacities & Other Attributes of Transport Systems

System Path Configuration

Vehicles per Hour per Lane/track

Passengers per Hour (thousands)

Operating Speed at Capacity

(Km/hr)

Metro (MRT) 30 30-80 40

Light Rapid 20 20-30 20 Light Rapid Transit (Trams)

20 20-30 20

Suburban Rail Double track 15 10-20 20

Bus Lanes With flow 400 10-20 20

Busways 2 lane undivided 700 15-30

Cars 2 lane undivided 1,400 2 - 3 20

4 lane divided 2,000 3-4 30

Bicycle Lane 2 lane-2 mt. wide 1,200 1.2 15

Pedestrian

Walkways

3 meter wide - 10-15 5

Present path of

Routes #154/104 North Bound �

Now 5 kms when direct

distance is 1 km

Majestic City

Galle Road(Dickmans’ Road to Kollupitiya)

Bambalapitiya Jc.

Bus Only Lane

Dickmons’ Rd Jn

Colombo University

Reid Avenue/Thurston Road Junction

Thurston Road

Thunmulla

Reid Avenue

MuseumFlower Rd

Reid

Avenue

Independent

Avenue

St Bridgets Convent

Stanley

Wijewardana Mw.

Royal College

Police

Race Course

ThurstonCollege

Present Geometry on Reid Avenue�Four mix traffic lanes undivided road � Junction treatments are; Roundabout at Thurston road junction and canalization at Prof. Stanley Wijesundara Mawatha Junction.�Length between Thurston Road Junction and Prof. Stanley Wijesundara Mawatha Junction is 470 m.�Distance between bus halts is 340 m.� Location of Pelican crossing from Prof. Stanley Wijesundara Mawatha Junction is 230 m.�2.5-3.0 m wide foot walks.

� 3.5m width Contraflow Bus lane + Three mix traffic lanes.� Traffic channelization of Thurston road junction.�Signalization of Prof. Stanley Wijesundara Mw. Junction.�Bus halt/ bay location is 230 m from Prof. Stanley Wijesundara Mawatha Junction & 240 m from Thurston Road Junction.�Proposed location of Pelican crossing from Prof. Stanley Wijesundara Mawatha Junction is 330 m.

Proposed Geometry on Reid Avenue

Reid Avenue Proposed Contra flow Bus Lane, Location of Bus Bays, Pelican Crossing

Traffic Data On Reid Avenue

� Average Daily Traffic is 35,000 vehicles.

�Traffic Volume during Morning Peak is 2250 vehicles ( 7.30 – 8.30 AM); Approx. 562

Veh/lane/direction.

�Average speed is 40 km/h. at middle of the road section.

�Total Bus operation during peak hour ( 7.30-8.30 AM) is 225 Nos. ( all provincial & interprovincial)

� Peak hour Bus operation of:

154 Angulana- Kiribathgoda = 24 Nos.

104 Bambalapitiya – Wattala = 08 Nos. Approx: 2.0 minutes per bus.

� Travel distance from Bambalapitiya to Prof. Stanley Wijesundara Mawatha junction; is 4.4 kms.

�Excess travel distance reference to return trip is 2.2 kms.

�Excess travel distance reference to Bauddaloka Mw is 3 kms.

• Benefits Analysis

– # 154 buses – 250 trips, 10,000 pax

– #104 buses – 60 trips, 2,200 pax

– #120 buses – 100 trips 3,500 pax

– #138 buses – 150 trips 6,000 pax

• Total savings in time= 22,000 @ 5 mts = 1,833 person hrs/day

• Total delay= 35,000 x 6 x 1/3 @ 10 secs = 194 person hrs/day

Problem on Albert Crescent

• Existing Bus Flow per day = 3,000

• Reduction from Reid Av (Contra flow) = 560

• Reduction from Thurston Road (Contra flow) = 1,800 • Reduction from Thurston Road (Contra flow) = 1,800

Problems Encountered & Remedial Action Taken

Problem Encountered Remedial Action Taken

1. Traffic flow disturbances at three locations;(a) Bus halts in front of Art

Faculty and Law Faculty of UOC(b) Pelican crossing

Shifting of bus halts and pelicancrossing approximately middle of theroad section. Decision was takenafter joint inspection withparticipation of CMC, CinnamonGarden Traffic Police & NTC.Garden Traffic Police & NTC.

2. Right turning traffic and contraflowbuses conflict at Thurston road junction

Traffic channelization treatment is adopted in proposed geometric designs

3. Operating frequency of pelican crossing was recorded 25 times per peak hour.

Shifting to 100 m towards Thunmulla. In long term, an overhead bridge to be proposed to construct connecting the university premises.

4. Traffic safety between uniflow and contrflow.

Contraflow bus lane will be physically separated by continuous lane marking and fixing of reflectorizedflexible rubber bollards in every 5 m intervals.

Problems Encountered & Remedial Action Taken

Problem Encountered Remedial Action Taken

5. Traffic queuing on Reid avenue before Prof. Stanley WijesundaraMw. junction

(a)Bus priority activated signal to beprovided at Prof. Stanley WijesundaraMw. Junction for right turning busesfrom Contraflow bus lane.(b)Shifting of bus halt near thejunction to middle of the roadjunction to middle of the roadsection.(c) Approaching traffic will be guidedby the raised medium.

6. Pedestrian safety on the side foot walk of contraflow lane.

Steel fencing to be provided for protecting pedestrian movements.

7. Widening of Reid avenue to accommodate an additional lane

Road flow improvement using traffic signs and lane marking since, (a) Widening will have to cut Mara

trees(b) Existing drainage to be shifted(c) High construction cost.

Thumulla Junction to Thurston Road Junction

Thurston Road Junction

Thurston Road Junction to Prof. Stanley Wijesundara Mawatha Junction

Prof. Stanley Wijesundara Mawatha Junction

END

Summary of Factor Determining Sustainable

Vehicle Ownership Levels

Population Density

Population Density (persons/h

a)

Roads

(m/person)

Share of Public

Transport

Car Ownership Saturation

(per 1000 p)

Restrictions

Low < 25 > 4 < 5% 600-700 Little or no restriction Low < 25 > 4 < 5% 600-700 Little or no restriction on ownership

Moderate 25-75 1-4 15-35% 300-400 Some traffic and parking restrictions

High > 75 < 1 50-80% 200-300 Traffic and ownership restrictions

Mass Transit Modes- a comparisonCharacteristic Busway LRT Metro Suburban

Rail

Segregation At-grade At-grade Mostly elevated/u’ gd At-grade

Space Requirement 2-4 lanes from existingroad

2-3 lanes from existingroad

Elevated or u’ gd, little impact on existing

road

-

Flexibility Flexible in both imp’n

and op’s, robust

Limited flexibility, risky in

financial terms

Inflexible and risky infinancial terms

Inflexible

and op’s, robust operationally

financial terms

Initial Cost US$ mn / km

1-5 10-30 15-30 at-grade 30-75elevated 60-180 u’ gd

-

Practical Capacity Pass/hr/direction

10-20,000 10-12,000 60,000+ 30,000

Operating Speed Kph

17-20 20 30-40 40-50+

40

50

60

70

80

90

100P

erce

nta

ge

% Change in Walk or Travel Distance by User

Decreased

Increased

No Change

Tra

in P

asse

nger

sB

us P

asse

nger

s

Sch

ool/St

aff V

an O

psT

hree

Whe

eler

Ops

Mot

or C

ycle

Use

rsO

ther

Pri

vate

Veh

s

0

10

20

30

Per

cen

tag

e

Travel Distances have increased for everybody

30

40

50

60

70

80

Per

cen

tag

e

% Change Travel Time by User

No Change

Decreased

Increased

Bus Passengers

Bus Operators

School/Staff V

an Ops

Three Wheeler O

ps

Motor Cycle Uers

Other Priv

ate Vehs

0

10

20

Travel Times have decreased for private vehicle users, but increased for other road users

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

Percentage

Ease of Parking after One Way

No Change

More Difficult

Easier

School/Staff V

an Ops

Three Wheeler O

ps

Motor Cycle U

ers

Other Priv

ate VehsNo Change

More

Difficult

Easier

0

10

20

30

40

Parking has become more difficult could the same results have been obtained in the two way system with parking ban

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

Sc

ore

fro

m 1

0

Score of Acceptance by Users

Tra

in P

ass

enge

rB

us P

asse

nger

Bus

Ope

rato

rS

chool

/Sta

ff V

an

Thre

e W

hee

ler

Moto

r C

ycle

Oth

er P

riva

te V

ehs

Sho

pkeepe

rs

0

From a score of 0 (very bad) to 10 (very good), it can be seen that overall user

response is that public transport, pedestrians, shop keepers, van and 3 wheeler operators who cater to over 80% of passenger movements, have rated it bad to very bad. The worst off being train users.

Car users have rated it slightly favourably, while motor cycles users have indicated a median response.

Bambalapitiya Wellawatta

Galle Road (Dickman Road Junction)

Baudhaloka Mw

Duplication/Dickmans Road Junction(2 Phases Signal)

Galle Rd

Wellawatta Bambalapitiya