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Sri Lanka told to focus on mass transport to clear urban traffic chaos
Wednesday, 13 June 2007 - 5:36 AM SL Time
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Sri Lanka should switch to mass urban transport to combat traffic congestion, and start a powerful umbrella organization to implement projects, a Sri Lankan-born professional heading a big US transport utility has advocated.
The island should also build concrete roads, said Walter Wickramasinghe, Vice President and Director of Management of Metropolitan Transit Authority, in Houston, Texas, one of the largest transportation and regional development agencies in the United States.
Public Relations
Transport authorities should also have good public relations and hike fares gradually after making improvements commuters can feel, he told a seminar on Transportation Solutions for Rapid Economic Growth` organised by the Chamber of Construction Industry.
Wickramasinghe, a professional engineer with 30 years of experience in developing and operating mass transportation projects, said he himself travels to and from work by bus.
`I`m in the business (of transportation). So I`ve got to know what`s going on.`
Increasing fares was a `touchy issue` all over the world and the best approach was for the authorities to use good public relations and present such increases so that the commuters being asked to pay more will be able to see a measurable improvement in their commute.
`Do it in a graduated manner ? and give them (commuters) something for it ? like a faster ride or a better bus.`
Winning the acceptance of the public and others affected was important for the success of such fare hikes and new transport projects.
The Houston Metro itself has a very strong PR department and has regular meetings with the public and other stakeholders.
Wickramasinghe said Sri Lanka ought to have gone for concrete roads whose main benefit is that they last for 25 years, instead of tarred roads that get broken up by heavy traffic.
A good transport system helps to save time and money.
`Time is money. It is an economic cost to the country ? people on the roads instead of producing goods.`
Time saved would benefit the whole country as well as individuals.
Implementing Agency
He also said a powerful umbrella organisation might be necessary to get projects implemented because of the need to co-ordinate between many agencies and satisfy different stakeholders.
The US has powerful laws to acquire land in the public interest.
`But we don`t want to use them ? only as a last resort. Things are done in a very democratic way.`
Asked about land speculators who might exploit opportunities where land is required for big transport projects, Wickramasinghe said the Houston Metro `went and bought all the land we wanted before anyone knew about the rail project.`
Wickramasinghe said Houston, the fourth largest US city, also known as the world`s energy capital, was a `booming city` with a huge influx of people not much different from Colombo.
`Colombo is a transportation planner`s paradise,` he said. `Because you have demand ? you only need to supply the infrastructure to meet that demand.`
Car Addiction
In Houston, where `the car is king`, the authorities had to create demand for mass transport systems because of the preference for cars and the power of the car manufacturing lobby.
`Getting people out of their cars into mass transportation was difficult,` Wickramasinghe said, adding that they had managed to implement a metro rail system with good planning, ahead of schedule.
`Colombo`s problem is 50 percent solved ? as you`re not short of passengers,` he said.
`If Colombo wants to attract conventions, regional meetings, earns millions of dollars through tourism ? you got to do transport improvements. If not, no one is going to come to get stuck in traffic.`
The city already has rail corridors which have much potential to be developed further while waterways like the Beira could also be used to provide better access.
Noting that `some roads I used to walk and drive on have not changed,` Wickramasinghe said planners should look for creative ways to implement multi-modal transport solutions.
He said it was important not only to have a vision but also to implement plans and that planners should `start somewhere`.
`There is no one, single textbook solution to problems. The key is to form solutions based on what is available ? not wait for the perfect solution.`
One solution tried with success by Houston to overcome traffic jams was the introduction of High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lane for buses and cars with three passengers.
`If people are ready to share cars, then they can get a free ride into city centre ? a journey that took an hour was cut down to 15-20 minutes.`
Buses, which can carry up to 60 passengers, are also given priority and can even control traffic signals and are allowed to jump traffic queues.
Houston has the largest HOV lane network in the US and the lanes have support infrastructure like park and ride where free parking space is provided on city outskirts and buses to travel to the city.
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EEELamaya
Joined: Sep 2006
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12 Jun 2007 23:01:40 GMT Report for Abuse
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The blame for Sri Lank's transport system should go to The successive governments, after the independence. They inherited one of the finest rail systems in the world, that time, but look what they have done to it...
Sinhala modayas kept blaming British, while plundering the country of its resources.... when they had enough of British, they turned to Tamils, punishing then for the 'goods' they have done for the country!
What this gentleman is saying is true... a good public and rail service must be developed immediately... instead of wasting the money hard-earned by poor women working in Arab countries, some of that money should be spent on something good for the country...
Edited By - EEELamaya - 12 Jun 2007 23:06:29 GMT |
Saint
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12 Jun 2007 23:06:13 GMT Report for Abuse
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Wickramasinghe said Sri Lanka ought to have gone for concrete roads whose main benefit is that they last for 25 years, instead of tarred roads that get broken up by heavy traffic.
It is very difficult to bring the standards up when customers are not willing to pay enough.
:-( |
DVLADV
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12 Jun 2007 23:21:32 GMT Report for Abuse
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| Oh this was the misunderstanding. Metropolitan Transit was referring to the general transport in SL, G.Rajapakse thought he was referring to the Tamils in Colombo so he ordered to do just that in buses. |
Damed
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12 Jun 2007 23:23:50 GMT Report for Abuse
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Concrete roads are very economical but initially costly.
If Sri lanka do recycling of building materials it's very
easy to find materials for roads.
Transport factor costing a considerable amount of time/money and a waste which bring on top of the value of goods.
Srilankan products are very expensive when compare to Asian nations around,one main reason is transport. |
anizam
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12 Jun 2007 23:31:27 GMT Report for Abuse
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It is very difficult to bring the standards up when customers are not willing to pay enough.
:-(
and it is very difficult for Customers to pay when they dont have the money! :) |
MathanaMutha
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12 Jun 2007 23:35:00 GMT Report for Abuse
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| And also it may help the GOSL in the future when they have to evict the tamils from colombo to TE. |
snax
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12 Jun 2007 23:42:21 GMT Report for Abuse
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The only road I have seen in a better condition in SL is the 'Rajamawatha', road going from Kandy to Badulla, beside the Victoria and Randenigala dams..
Edited By - snax - 12 Jun 2007 23:44:20 GMT |
Maitreya
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12 Jun 2007 23:46:26 GMT Report for Abuse
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Our politicians have no vision, they do not really give a damn to public wellbeing. Their motive is to make money and live a higher life for themselves and
the people around them. Sadly this has been happening since Independence and the successive governments are incompetent to deal with public matters.
look what happened to Singapore. The difference is the political leadership.
SL people are very smart, skillful and educated, unfortunately our leadership screwed it up all. Big time. No 1 Enemies of the Public . |
pharoah
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12 Jun 2007 23:57:01 GMT Report for Abuse
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Minefield
Imagine that MR & Co were not going to war.
How many billions in US dollars could have been used for an awesome infrastructure!
even though the country as a whole awould benefit if there was no war, MR and Gottabaya wont benefit as much as they currently are at the moment. These GOSL people are the very few that are gaining from the current political problems. |
DVLADV
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13 Jun 2007 00:10:22 GMT Report for Abuse
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| What a shame the south with all the funds cannot build a proper road, LTTE without funds have built a runaway that GOSL is repeatedly bombing for the last year and still cannot destroy it. LOL |
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