Transport Notes

53 items available

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The goal of Transport Notes series is dissemination of recent experiences and innovations in the World Bank Group’s transport sector operations.

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Now showing 1 - 10 of 53
  • Publication
    Addis Ababa Sidewalk Safety and Improvement Study: Project Report
    (Washington, DC: World Bank, 2022-02-28) World Bank
    Walking is a predominant mode of travel in Addis Ababa representing more than half of the daily trips. The mild climate in Addis Ababa is conducive for this healthy and green mode of transport. However, sidewalks are often narrow, uneven, obstructed, or non-existent, causing discomfort and road safety risks to the most vulnerable road users: pedestrians. Studies done by the WHO and the Government showed that AA has disproportionately high pedestrian fatalities. The World Bank study on Addis Ababa Sidewalk Safety and Improvement takes the approach of integrating digital technology and Urban Inventory in sidewalk surveys, applies the Global Walkability Index in sidewalk assessments, and adapts the global best practice to the local context. The Project Report diagnoses sidewalk conditions and walkability in a Light Rail Corridor, proposes strategies and formulates low-hanging fruit actions to redress the sidewalk deficiencies, and bridges the connection between pedestrians, sidewalks, urban design, and road safety through an integrated multi-sector approach.
  • Publication
    Addis Ababa Sidewalk Design and Maintenance Guidelines
    (Washington, DC: World Bank, 2022-02-28) World Bank
    Walking is a predominant mode of travel in Addis Ababa representing more than half of the daily trips. The mild climate in Addis Ababa is conducive for this healthy and green mode of transport. However, sidewalks are often narrow, uneven, obstructed, or non-existent, causing discomfort and road safety risks to the most vulnerable road users: pedestrians. Studies done by the WHO and the Government showed that AA has disproportionately high pedestrian fatalities. The study on Addis Ababa Sidewalk Safety and Improvement takes the approach of integrating digital technology and Urban Inventory in sidewalk surveys, applies the Global Walkability Index in sidewalk assessments, and adapts the global best practice to the local context. The Addis Ababa Sidewalk Design and Maintenance Guidelines seek to promote the development of quality pedestrian infrastructure and environments, based on the condition’s assessment and global best practices. The design specifications and visual rendering provide recommendations for the policy makers to consider when developing the City’s design and maintenance standards for urban roads, sidewalks, public spaces, and transit-oriented development, some of which are being carried out as part of the technical assistance program of the World-Bank financed Transport Systems Improvement Project (TRANSIP).
  • Publication
    Toward Efficient, Sustainable and Safe Urban Transport in Madagascar: Antananarivo and Other Major Cities - Synthesis Report
    (Washington, DC: World Bank, 2022-01-31) World Bank
    Madagascar remains to exploit agglomeration economies and urbanization economies to sustain more rigorous economic growth. After several political and economic crises, Madagascar restored its modest but steady growth path with an average growth rate of 3.5 percent in the last 5 years (before the COVID-19 pandemic). Yet, the country’s performance remains less favorably compared with other countries in the region. Poverty is persistently high in Madagascar, with a large spatial disparity in poverty incidence across areas. Most rural residents, about 80 percent, remain poor. Urban poverty is relatively modest but is also an important challenge for Madagascar. The urban poor is particularly vulnerable to external shocks, such as COVID19. The pandemic is likely to reverse more than a decade of gains in poverty reduction in Madagascar. This report aims to: (i) review the trends of urban transport developments in major cities in Madagascar, (ii) analyze the present and future demand for urban mobility with focus on Greater Antananarivo, (iii) review the current public infrastructure governance in the urban transport sector, comparing the government’s urban transport programs and other complementary interventions, to maximize the synergy among the programs, and (iv) provide high priority policy recommendations.
  • Publication
    Implementation of Innovative Bridge Technologies: Technical Guidance Note
    (Washington, DC, 2022) World Bank
    Bridges are critical components in the transport network and serve as vital links significantly contributing to social connection and economic production across the Pacific. Bridges are intrinsically exposed to natural hazards and impacted by climate change. Delays associated with the ongoing maintenance of bridges can also put additional strain on this infrastructure and leave them more susceptible to damage. Collectively, these issues serve as a catalyst to the continuing efforts of donors to support the research, exploration, development, and implementation of bridge solutions that consider a local context. This technical guidance note highlights the methodology and lessons learned from the implementation of innovative bridge technologies assessment study and its application under the World Bank-funded Solomon Islands Roads and Aviation Project. This case study focused on the use of a selected range of modular bridges that provide a low maintenance, long-term, whole of life bridge solution which illustrates how the quality of infrastructure investment can be improved by improving economic efficiency and building resilience. It also outlines a way forward for the implementation of these bridge technologies across the Pacific region.
  • Publication
    Twists and Turns: New Business Models
    (International Finance Corporation, Washington, DC, 2020-01) Graham, John
    Electric buses have been the fastest-growing electric vehicle segment over the past five years by a wide margin. The market is changing quickly as both national and local governments make new commitments to address climate change and the horrific air quality conditions that plague some cities. To convert these ambitious commitments into reality, there is need of investable and bankable business models that work on a standalone basis. The state-heavy model, complete with lavish subsidies, won’t work for developing countries. So, the marketplace needs to invent the wheel here. Based on the early work on electric vehicles, what are some of the business models taking shape are presented in the report.
  • Publication
    E-Bus Economics: Fuzzy Math?
    (International Finance Corporation, Washington, DC, 2020-01) Graham, John
    Electrifying the global urban vehicle fleet depends on the convergence of several economic, technological, and political factors. However, the big shift to electric vehicles will likely take place only when the economics of owning and operating electric becomes a no-brainer. Using the example of electric buses, two factors must fall into place before the electric option can take off: first, the upfront cost needs to come down and second, there needs to be a change in procurement culture towards lifecycle cost or total cost of ownership (TCO). If utilities can structure out fluctuations in power costs (through PPAs) and the marketplace moves to leasing and other fixed-price operations and maintenance arrangements, these calculations can standardize across the board quickly. This is when the math starts to get a lot less fuzzy.
  • Publication
    Electric Buses: Why Now?
    (International Finance Corporation, Washington, DC, 2020-01) Graham, John
    There is a quiet revolution underway in a previously sleepy segment of the transport sector: the electrification of municipal buses and other intra-city vehicles. As McKinsey reported last October, the compound annual growth rate of battery-electric buses has exceeded 100 percent since 2013- surpassing that of every other electric vehicle segment. Investing in battery-electric buses - as well as other high-use vehicles, such as e-delivery trucks - is an effective way for International Finance Corporation (IFC) to move the needle on air quality and greenhouse emissions from urban transportation. The opportunity is massive, and IFC has the capacity to fast-track implementation. It’s time to hit the accelerator. A cocktail of technology, investment, and scale in electric buses (and other high-use intra-city electric vehicles) will soon reach a point where reliability and cost advantages create the death spiral for internal combustion engines. Superior technology and declining costs will eventually overwhelm the old, static, diesel driven transportation paradigm.
  • Publication
    An EV Playbook for Electric Buses
    (International Finance Corporation, Washington, DC, 2020-01) Graham, John
    What are the critical questions to ask if one is contemplating an e-vehicle program? Based on the technical and business proposals International Finance Corporation (IFC) has seen so far, this report presents some factors for e-bus proposals. The broad-based electrification of buses and other urban transport represents a massive investment opportunity for IFC and other investors to invest in higher quality, sustainable transport while addressing climate change and improving air quality. At the same time, this sector is beset with some of the trickiest issues related to transport infrastructure, power, municipal finance, and even local politics.
  • Publication
    Bumps in the Road: Challenges to E-bus Implementation
    (International Finance Corporation, Washington, DC, 2020-01) Graham, John
    Dozens of municipalities are experimenting with e-buses, while some last-mile delivery companies are using pilot fleets to test performance. At the same time, a smaller group of operators are pushing ahead with more drastic, big bang efforts to put dozens or even hundreds of electric vehicles into service. The authors saw how some locations have already reached total cost of ownership (TCO) parity, while other places will require further reductions in costs and perhaps some forward-thinking tax and tariff policies. The bad news is that the track record for electric buses to date has been mixed, and e-bus adoption has not scaled up as fast as many had hoped due to institutional, technical, and financial challenges. For those seeking to stay the course with internal combustion engines, there are plenty of valid arguments. This report will bring some of the problems out in the open.
  • Publication
    Supporting Road Network Vulnerability Assessments in Pacific Island Countries
    (World Bank, Washington, DC, 2018-04) World Bank Group
    In Pacific Island Countries, high vulnerability to the impacts of climate change and natural disasters means that such events can have devastating social and economic impacts when critical infrastructure is compromised. This has been apparent in countries where severe disruptions to road networks have resulted in a loss of access to basic infrastructure and services. Building resilience is therefore a prerequisite for long-term sustainable development, and Governments will increasingly seek tools that can help guide investment and policy decisions by considering the effects of climate change and natural disasters. Among such tools are road network vulnerability assessments, which provide a means to design and maintain a climate resilient network. This articlehighlights the process and lessons learned from the Vulnerability Assessment and Climate Resilient Road Strategy of the Samoan road network, and outlines a replicable approach for small island nations with acute capacity challenges that seek to balance analytical rigor with the need for practicality.