Kabul Urban Transport: Challenges and Solutions

The Challenge:

Kabul, a city where traffic congestion and hour-long wait to get to a mile-long distance has become a daily struggle for residence, and as a result, both economy and health of the community has been on a downward spiral^[i]. Kabul City is one of the fastest-growing cities in the world^[ii] with its population count increasing from 1.5 million to 6 million from 2001 to 2014^[iii]. It is one of the largest commercial, economic and cultural hub in the region, yet when the responsible entities are asked about the deteriorating transportation services in the city, almost all fingers are pointed towards the old layout of the city. Officials dodge their responsibility by blaming the city planners of 1960s for their plan of the Kabul City saying that because it is old it is unfixable. They also blame the post-war growth in population, and the increased number of cars in the city, which to be fair, is a new challenge that the city is facing, however, that does not mean that the issues are unsolvable and that they get to sit while things get worse and worse.

How Do Transportation Authorities Approach the Challenge?

The only solution that has been seen to get implemented to a certain degree throughout the past two decades is the expansion and widening of roads. This needs extra funding, and since there is no funding available most of the time, they act like their hands are tied. The Ministry of Transport and Civil Aviation, as well as Ministry of Urban Development and Housing, has been playing this game for more than two decades now, and as a result, both the economy and health of the community has been adversely affected^[iv].

The plan of Kabul city is Old, however, the question is what is the difference between Kabul and other cities of similar history around the world? Why congestion in Washington DC, for example, has reached its minimum even though the city has seen a significant increase in its populating since the 1900s? Did other cities not face rapid urbanization and population growth? Or did they manage the increase in population and automobile properly?

On the other hand, the proposed solution of widening the road network around the city, especially the older areas—even if budget is available—has been proven to be an exceedingly difficult and in most cases impossible undertaking. Expanding roads require demolishing people’s properties, and exercising the right of eminent domain, however, requires a strong and stable government in the first place. A government that has enough power to force necessary laws, which is nonexistent in our case. Therefore, there has to be another way to solve traffic congestion and deter its socio-economic harm, and there is.

Kabul City is an amalgam of planned and unplanned settlements. According to a winter assessment report by the Kabul Informal settlements Task Force, as of 2016, Approximately 55,000 individuals live in 52 informal settlement sites across the city^[v].

What Needs To Be Done?

While fully acknowledging the effect of the unplanned settlements on urban transit in the city, for the purpose of this article let us focus on the planned portions of the city, and determine the areas that need improvement. To better understand the challenges within the urban transportation infrastructure, let us divide our attention to three major elements which are: Roads, Pedestrian bridges (both overhead and underground), and Parking spaces.

At the first glance, a trained eye can see that apart from certain streets in the diplomatic areas of the city like Wazir Akbar Khan, the roads in the rest of the city are wide enough to accommodate multiple vehicles at once, and the constant push to widen the roads seem unnecessary. The only attention the roads of Kabul needs is with regards to their maintenance. Potholes and bumps on the road due to poor construction quality not only pose danger to travelers^[vi] but also, force a huge number of riders to take certain routes that have lesser potholes in the hopes of a less bumpy ride to work. Therefore, it would be a lot better use of budget to construct better quality roads and to repair and maintain the existing ones, rather than widening the roads.

Now of course when a common city dweller looks at the traffic jam on the roads surrounding the presidential palace, he thinks that the roads need to be widened. However, transport infrastructure includes other elements, such as overhead bridges and underpasses as well as public parking within the city, which can solve the issue of congestion and stimulate convenient movement around the city. Much of the congestion of in Kabul City can be attributed to jaywalkers, pedestrians trying to cross the road from wherever they deem fit because there are no other means of getting to the other side. Therefore, building overhead pedestrian bridges in the congested areas such as Kota E Sangi and similar would decrease the congestion significantly.

Lack of parking spaces for private cars as well as dedicated bus stops in the populated areas of the city, too, is a huge contributor to the congestion in Kabul. It leads both public buses and private vehicles to stand at the roadside to load passengers increasing the very problem that they were supposed to solve^[vii]. Creating dedicated parings all around the city, especially the populated areas such as Kota E Sang, Deh Afghanan, Sare E Chawk along with dedicated bus stops all around the city would decrease the congestion and all harm that stem from it.

In a nutshell, the government should direct their attention towards the maintenance of existing roads; building pedestrian bridges (both overhead and underground); finally creating dedicated parking spaces and bus stops in critical areas to be able to tackle the congestion challenge. Of course, the proposed solutions require strong political will, high costs, and a lot of expertise in the transportation sector to be implemented successfully, and it cannot be actualized instantly. Planned development is a long road and Afghanistan has a long way to go in that regard.

Reference

______________________________________________________________________________ i. Amirzada Ahmadzai, Traffic and Transportation in Kabul City – Proposed Solutions, Kardan Journal of Engineering and Technology: https://kardan.edu.af/data/public/files/kjet-11- 7.pdf 

ii. Asian development bank, Afghanistan transport sector master plan update (2017–2036), Retrieved from: https://www.adb.org/sites/default/files/institutional- document/327561/afg- transport-plan-2017-2036.pdf 

iii. WORLDBANK Why and How Should Kabul Upgrade Its Informal Settlements? Kabul Urban Policy Notes, Series 2. 

iv. Amirzada Ahmadzai, Traffic and Transportation in Kabul City – Proposed Solutions, Kardan Journal of Engineering and Technology: https://kardan.edu.af/data/public/files/kjet- 11-7.pdf 

v. Welthungerhilfe For The Task Force On The Kabul Informal Settlements, Winter Assistance In The Kabul Informal Settlements – Summary Of Assessment Results, Approach And Interventions 2016 

vi. Nugmanova, A., Arndt, W.-H., Hossain, M. A., & Kim, J. R. (2019). Effectiveness of ring roads in reducing traffic congestion in cities for long run: Big almaty ring road case study. Sustainability, 11(18), 1-26.Available at: https://doi.org/10.3390/su11184973. vii. Noori, W. A. Challenges of traffic development in Kabul City 2010 (Justus-Liebig- Universität Gießen). Retrieved from: http://geb.uni- giessen.de/geb/volltexte/2011/7955/pdf/NooriWalid_2010_12_13.pdf.

The [not so] Public Transit System in Luanda

(Photo by @nzo_iami via cidadedeluanda on Instagram)

“Candongueiros satisfy about 45% of Luanda’s transport demand. Their vehicles are more regular and faster than the service provided by the bus companies, although they are also more expensive…”

Carlos M. Lopes

Luanda, the capital city of Angola, is located on the west coast of southern Africa and has a population around 8 million¹. The demand for transportation in the city reaches 2.8 million journeys per day², and the available public transit services struggle to meet the demand. These services include public bus transit and railways, private minivans and motorcycles, serving those without access to a private vehicle.

TCUL (Transporte Colectivo Urbano de Luanda) the oldest bus service in Luanda active since 1988, is considered ineffective and unreliable, with people often having to wait in line for hours. Waiting conditions for passengers are often inadequate (i.e. lack of shading and street furniture at bus stops). It is the cheapest mode of transportation in Luanda with prices ranging from $0.30 to $0.60. Although cheap, the service isn’t comfortable or safe for vulnerable people such as women, children and the elderly. Buses are often packed, and little to no safety features are provided for passengers. There are other public transit companies include TURA Angoaustral and SGO, but they all share similar issues.

The current transit system in Luanda is served and dominated by privately-owned minivans (Candongueiros) and “passenger-carrying” motorcycles  (Kupapatas). The competition among public buses described above has attempted to challenge this dominance of informal services in the market but with no success.

The following is a description of how public transit system work in Luanda, focusing on the most known, used, loved (and sometimes hated) by the locals – the Candongueiros. 

Candongueiros 

(photo by Odair Sousa via cidadedeluanda on Instagram)

‘Candongueiros’ (can-don-geros) are long-distance minivans that can sit up 15 passengers, and a fare collector who usually sits by the window. It is hard to walk or drive around the city without noticing the white and blue mini vans, blasting loud music, with funny quotes on the rear window and fare collectors with half of their bodies outside the van calling for passengers. “Rocha Pinto, Rocha!”, “Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo!” are some of the ways in which they attract passengers. Locals know the routes by heart. Newcomers and visitors, however, might have a hard time getting around. In 2011, Jon Schubert designed a map featuring some of Luanda’s candongueiro routes³. However, the lack of signage and informative boards in the city makes it difficult for users to follow it. Candongueiros work on a word-to-mouth learn-as-you-go basis. During the learning process, you better speak up and ask for directions; otherwise, you might end up missing your stop or getting on the wrong route. 

(Photo by @andreheitormatias via viewsofangola on Instagram)

Drivers usually stick to one route and run it at least 8 times a day. The earliest you can catch a Candongueiro is at 5 am, and they can run until midnight. Frequency of candongueiros is high but can decline with weather and congestion. 

Candongueiros are an alternate mode of transportation, created by the people and for the people. But just how effective is it?

How public is the transit system?

Candongueiros satisfy 45% of Luanda’s transportation demands⁴. Fares are paid with cash and on the spot. The price varies by route length and gas prices, but usually, a one-way trip fare can range from $0.90 to $1.20. 

The minimum wage in the country in 2016 was $90.00⁵, and according to the Angolan’s national statistics institute, 20% of residents in the capital live under the poverty line of $73. Monthly public transportation expenses can easily surpass both amounts, as the examples below will try to illustrate. 

Say you are an undergraduate student, relying on public transit who lives in the suburbs and attends classes in the city center. You would have to catch at least four candongueiros to get to University and pay a total of $7.20 for a round-trip. Your commute expenses by the end of the month would be around $145.00. Luckily, you can rely on the financial support of your parents. 

Now, say your neighbor, a mother of 5 children who work as a Housekeeper (a stable form of lower-income employment) receives a monthly salary about $300. She takes the same route as you to get to her job, having the same commute expenses. This means that her work-related travels alone cover almost half of her salary. Thus, she spends nearly half of her income to earn said income. 

This analogy, although dramatic, is the reality for the majority of public transit-dependent residents in Luanda.

Can the government regulate the candongueiros?

Yes and no. The candongueiro sector does have some regulations in place, however they are mostly self-governed. Attempts from the governemnt to adjust or introduce new regulation to the service (i.e. maximum occupancy, license checks, the legal status of minivans, price controls) have continuously led to threats of strikes from the drivers⁶. Every time the city almost came to a halt, showing how reliant people are on them and why they pay high fare prices to access basic services, jobs and school.

The need for an affordable transit system is clear, and both Candongueiros and the government need to work together to make it happen. The government could improve the existent public transit through policies that increase safety and enforce adequate transit amenities in the buses and bus stops. In addition to investing and improving the bus services, the government could work with Candongueiros and the public to fully understand their needs in order to develop guidelines for a fair, affordable and equitable transit system. Such a system will continue to be self-governed but much more affordable to its users. 

(Photo by @catia_ferreira via viewsofangola on Instagram)

Disclaimer: prices shown in the post are adjusted to the 2016 exchange rate, before the country’s currency devaluation. 

References:

 [1] https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ao.html

[2] Transforming Urban Transport – The Role of Political Leadership TUT-POL Sub-Saharan Africa

[3] https://angolaenglish.wordpress.com/2014/06/18/luandas-candongueiro-routes/

[4]  “The Speed of change: motor vehicle and people in Africa, 1890 – 2000” edited by Jan Bart Gewald, Sabine Luning, Klaas Van Walraven

[5] https://tradingeconomics.com/angola/minimum-wages

[6] https://www.dw.com/pt-002/crise-dos-combust%C3%ADveis-taxistas-angolanos-ameaçam-paralisar-trabalhos/a-48663411; https://www.dw.com/pt-002/crise-dos-combust%C3%ADveis-taxistas-angolanos-ameaçam-paralisar-trabalhos/a-48663411

Champaign-Urbana MTD: A Good Public Transit and City Development Strategy

The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is one of the most recognizable institutions of higher learning in the Midwest. It is also at the center of one of the country’s most exceptional bus systems. During my first year as an undergraduate at the university, I was impressed at the number of buses and frequency of routes, but I never really used the buses. At that time, I had never lived somewhere where buses were available, so I just drove my car or rode my bike wherever I needed to go. It was my second year at the university when I finally started taking the buses that the Champaign-Urbana MTD (CUMTD) provided.

CUMTD stop on Wright St., in front of the Illini Union Bookstore^[2]

A 1991 analysis of UIUC’s bus program, known as they “I System”, demonstrated the success of the university’s collaboration with the CUMTD’s local bus routes, with yearly ridership of CUMTD buses doubling to 5.4 million passenger trips per year.^[3] Now, CUMTD buses provide over 11 million passenger trips yearly.^[4] The I System has dramatically reduced the demand for on-campus parking, and has saved the city millions of dollars in construction costs for new parking garages that are no longer necessary.^[1] More recently however, the CUMTD+I System program that has proven overwhelmingly effective in Champaign-Urbana was updated to better promote sustainable urban development and further increase bus ridership, in a decision titled LRTP 2025.

LRTP 2025: The Development Plan

The Long Range Transportation Plan 2025 (LRTP 2025) was passed by the Champaign-Urbana MPO in 2004. The purpose of this plan was to address community development through promoting active transportation (walking, biking, and busing) and inward development, rather than development on the fringes of the cities.^[1] While the CUMTD operated all throughout Champaign-Urbana, the metropolitan area was growing outward at a rate that was inhibiting economical and ecological transit development. With this new community initiative, the CUMTD needed to establish a strategy for how such a decades-long development plan would be integrated into their bus system.

Map of Champaign-Urbana MTD (CUMTD) Weekday Routes^[4]

MTD’s miPLAN: The Transit Plan

In tandem with the MPO’s implementation of the LRTP 2025, CUMTD initiated a project called the Mobility Implementation Plan, or miPLAN. The purpose of miPLAN was to establish cost-effective strategies for increasing the percentage of work and non-work related trips taken through the CUMTD and non-vehicle options by 2025, which would conform to the expectations set up with LRTP 2025.^[1] A significant aspect of the implementation plan is the emphasis on education and accessibility. Seeing buses on your street is one thing. It is another to know enough about where the buses go and how quickly they get there that actually motivates ridership. As such, part of miPLAN and the CUMTD’s advertising strategy is to inform potential riders of the benefits of mass transit, whether they be environmental, financial, or social benefits.^[1]

Is This Strategy Good?

There is a question of what makes Champaign-Urbana’s example such a good one. For starters, the transit system is one that early on relied on and benefited from the participation of the University of Illinois. The University’s support and cooperation with the CUMTD allowed the local bus routes that already existed to maximize their usage by having millions of additional rides taken on by the university students, staff, and faculty.^[3] Another aspect of this strategy’s quality is the focus on ecological impact that is resulting from its success. The fact that the Champaign-Urbana community can reduce congestion and carbon emissions so effectively and economically using these strategies is a significant feat that I think would be great to see replicated in other cities.

What is so impressive about the public transit in Champaign-Urbana is how accessible it is, in nearly every sense of the term. CUMTD is included in the school fees and benefits of the tens of thousands of students and staff that attend UIUC, which a strong majority avidly use. It is also available to the thousands of general public residents, as anyone can purchase a yearly bus pass for $84, or a one-way trip for just $1.^[4] Not only that, but all buses that service the community are ADA accessible. These routes are run during the week primarily between the hours of 5:00 a.m. and 12:00 a.m., and cover ground across the majority of the city .

It is ultimately the case that the development of a city goes hand-in-hand with the development of transportation. When new housing or commercial development is built, roads are constructed; a city cannot have one without the other. However, often urban development takes the lead in metropolitan areas, with road construction and the necessity of cars taken for granted, with development of equitable or economical transit coming much later (or not at all).

The strategy implemented in Champaign-Urbana has continuously challenged that norm by putting transit development ahead of urban development. The community wants its bus system to be accessible to as many people as possible, as well as environmentally and economically sustainable. Thanks to LRTP 2025, the community has an ideal strategy to ensure that urban development takes place within the community’s cores while transit development is allowed to expand public transit services to meet as much of the MPO’s transportation needs as possible.

References

^[1] Hoyle, C. (2009, November 30). Mobility in the 21st Century: Planning and Creating Multimodal Transportation Systems. Retrieved October 31, 2020, from https://trid.trb.org/view/1083709

^[2] Hoyle, C. (2012). Sustainable Transportation Mobility in the 21st Century. Retrieved October 31, 2020, from https://www.ideals.illinois.edu/bitstream/handle/2142/106694/20090917-Hoyle.pdf?sequence=2&isAllowed=y

^[3] Moriarty, J., Patton, R., & Volk, W. (1990, November 30). THE I SYSTEM: A CAMPUS AND COMMUNITY BUS SYSTEM FOR THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS AT CHAMPAIGN-URBANA. Retrieved October 31, 2020, from https://trid.trb.org/view/359626

^[4] Transit, T., & RouteMatch. (2020, September 17). Champaign–Urbana Mass Transit District. Retrieved October 31, 2020, from https://mtd.org/

Public Spaces and Automobiles – Where is the balance? -Kathmandu

Public Spaces in Old Kathmandu

Streets and mobility have not always been about automobiles. It was only 135 years ago that automobiles were introduced to the city landscapes. Before their grand entry, the buildings and spaces between them were revolving and evolving mainly around humans and their natural mode of movement. Kathmandu was no exception; in fact, it had exceled in emoting social and cultural needs of its residents through its design of spaces. Mobility needs were not merely for faster commutes, but for the daily needs of cultural, social and economic exchanges among people. There were variety of spaces that served to fulfil these purposes, like courtyards, alleys, activity corridors, chowks, squares, public rest houses, performance platforms and different forms of communal water structures. The dispersion of these public spaces would be such that you would find one right below your house.

The play of interiors and exteriors

A residential courtyard
Source: Henry Ambrose Oldfield

Street Scene in Kathmandu
Source: Henry Ambrose Oldfield

Water Spouts in Patan, Mangahiti
Source: Henry Ambrose Oldfield

The buildings themselves were not separate from the streets. The windows were constructed slanted so as to face directly down to the streets [2]. A semi-private corridor would conjoin the streets with residential courtyards. Moreover, lower floors of residences were not private either. Streets were narrower, and proportional to human scale, and led to larger open spaces at smaller intervals i.e. it would take lesser time to access nearby public spaces. Access to public spaces would be a necessity even for fetching water in the early mornings, which would serve as a communal space alongside.

The city of Gods

A chariot procession in Kathmandu
Source: Henry Ambrose Oldfield

Spaces were designed to accommodate the Gods at every corner. Every chowk would have a temple, and most of the festivities would require gatherings and chariot processions, which the streets would be designed for. The intricate relation of culture and streets was impeccably visible. There would be sounds around the temples, from the bells and songs from bhajan mandali-s (groups designated for singing devotional songs for the Gods), playing around in the mornings and evenings, and heard by the people passing through the streets.

The city of people

Patan Durbar (Palace) Square
Source: Henry Ambrose Oldfield

The spaces were barely inaccessible. Shades and public rest houses were a common site. Among the world heritage listed sites are the three palace squares of Kathmandu valley. They were – and are – ranked as the largest hierarchy of public spaces of the valley. They are larger in size, but still are not void of structures. There is a playful rhythm in placement of temples, raised platforms, columns and other built structures, such that every corner invites the pedestrians to sit and enjoy the social life.

Popularity of Automobiles and Kathmandu’s Changing face

Because of growing population and heightening demand of automobiles in the recent decades, the streets of Kathmandu have been changing their typology. The streets have been more accommodating for vehicles than pedestrians, even if in a haphazard way. In the newer settlements of Kathmandu, the traditionally common elements of public spaces are not that common anymore, and residents are subtly aware of the decreasing social sensitivity in the communities.

The secluded streets

A street in residential area of Lazimpat, Kathmandu
Source: Brian Smith

In newer residential areas of Kathmandu, the buildings are barely connected to streets. Nuclear families are becoming more popular nowadays than joint families, giving rise to walled residential structures [6]. Even if the streets between the houses are narrow and proportional to the human scale, the opaque walls create a barrier in connecting the spaces. Inner streets, even if more frequently used by pedestrians, doesn’t utilize the possibility of using a different paving style. The roadways, on the other hand are getting wider and wider, with the few existing open spaces being separated by those widening roads.

The chaotic marvels

Parked motorbikes around the city center of Kathmandu
Source: Anup Ojha

Street Market around temples in Ason, Kathmandu
Source: Becky Enright

Maitighar Mandala, a roundabout in Patan
Source: The Himalayan Times

Shoppers of Kathmandu go to the Ason market, located at the heart of the city frequently. Public transits from around the city, packed with people, stops few minutes away from the market. However, the transit system is not sufficient for the travelers in any measure; a number of private cars and motorbikes fill up the public spaces meant for people in the city core. Moreover, the chowks built with temples as their guardians have morphed into chaotic roundabouts where automobiles and pedestrians struggle their way through to walk even a few meters. The buildings around have grown to new heights, rising above the original guardians. These chowks have lost their identity as visual aesthetic but retained as communal spaces and added a new one as chaotic marvels of Kathmandu.

The suffocating city

View of Kathmandu from the hills of Swoyambhu
Source: Alamy

There are a number of temples in the city, which are waiting for proper revitalization since decades. The condition worsened after the 2015 earthquake. The city is also in need of a significant increase in open spaces, greatly felt by the residents after the earthquake. Since decades, the existing open spaces like water conduits, ponds, chowks, etc. have only been encroached by the needs for growing population [4]. But, with the growing population, the need of higher intellect in planning the city has not been fulfilled. The only breathable spaces are centuries old – the palace squares – and barely any additions have been thought out/ added as communal spaces in neighborhood level.

Where is the balance?

Kathmandu’s original identity has been the celebrations. Celebrations demand a strong sense of community. For a community to grow stronger, ample spaces should be provided for interaction [8]. While the developed countries are brainstorming ideas to design streets for people and not for automobiles, ultimately to increase humane behavior, Nepal has been following their path to reach the same dilemma down the road. It is high time for Kathmandu to revisit its principles and remember its values. It only connects back to humanized streets and communal spaces. So, what could be the possible next steps for conscious planning of Kathmandu?

1. Realizing that the necessity for social connection comes right after the basic fulfillment of food, shelter and security [7].
2. Providing as many opportunities for pedestrian activities, by allocating the traditional elements of old Kathmandu and creating as many accessible spaces. Revitalize the existing open spaces so as to grow rhythmic structures rather than plain grasses.
3. Establishing building codes to address proper and reasonable respect to the religious heritage of the city. Use regulatory tools to maintain visual and spatial accessibility throughout the city.
4. Demotivating usage of private vehicles through expansion of public transit system. Alongside, design streets as inviting to the pedestrians as to the automobiles, if not more, by providing variety of opportunities for people to sit, talk, perform and connect in spaces outside of their private enclosures.
5. While expanding transit service, focusing clearly on the possibility of creating a vibrant and inviting economic hub with small shops and healthy communal interactions around the bus stations.
6. Recognizing the problem of increasing population and plan on a regional level to disperse the ongoing population concentration in the capital city.

References

1. Dixit, Kanak Mani. (2008). Henry Ambrose Oldfield’s Paintings of Nepal. Retrieved from https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/03068370802346734?needAccess=true
2. Tiwari, Sudarshan Raj. (n.d.). City Space and Life then, 150 years ago. Retrieved from http://www.kailashkut.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/cityspaceandlife.pdf
3. Tiwari, Sudarshan Raj. (n.d.). Reconstructing of Historical Urban Civilization of Nepal Valley. Retrieved from http://www.kailashkut.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/madanpuraskarvidwatvachan-sept17.pdf
4. Sengupta, Umi. (2017). Ruptured space and spatial estrangement: (Un)making of public space in Kathmandu. Retrieved from https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0042098017727689
5. Rai, Ruprama. (2008). Threats to the Spirit of the Place – Urban Space and Squares, Historic City Core, Kathmandu. Retrieved from https://www.icomos.org/quebec2008/cd/toindex/80_pdf/80-FAsv-73.pdf
6. Shrestha, Bijaya K. (2011). Street typology in Kathmandu and street transformation. Retrieved from https://www.researchgate.net/publication/269686870_Street_typology_in_Kathmandu_and_street_transformation
7. McLeod, Saul. (2020). Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. Retrieved from https://www.simplypsychology.org/maslow.html
8. Project for Public Spaces. (2014). Streets as Places: How Transportation can create a sense of community. Retrieved from https://www.pps.org/article/streets-as-places-how-transportation-can-create-a-sense-of-community