Urban Transport in Yangon and Mandalay

Abstract

The increased urbanization and economic activity in Yangon and Mandalay in the past decade may be potentially hampered by the negative externalities associated with increased motorization, including long travel times disproportionately affecting public transport users and access to jobs and services, and increasing traffic related accidents and air pollutants and emissions. A forward-looking, actionable, and financially viable sustainable urban mobility strategy for Yangon and Mandalay is a fundamental component to support sustainable and inclusive urbanization in Myanmar over the next decade. Without such a strategy and corresponding investment program being made available, the quality of life and access to jobs, opportunities, and services in Yangon and Mandalay will become increasingly difficult, particularly for the poor. This report calls for urgent actions for Yangon and Mandalay to seize the window of opportunity brought by a growing economy and put forward financially viable and corresponding funding and financing schemes for sustainable urban mobility programs aiming to provide efficient, equitable, clean, and safe mobility for the urban population in the two major cities in Myanmar.