Project entry 2020 for Middle East Africa
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Urban Movement in Uganda
Typical street before implementation of the proposed NMT improvements. It is apparent that pedestrians are sharing the available road space with motorized traffic. This situation poses a high risk of accidents to pedestrians. The high volume of traffic has caused heavy traffic jams and thus massive delays for the passengers in the motor vehicles leading to losses.
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Urban Movement in Uganda
Street redesign cross section showing the NMT improvements along the streets e.g. inclusion of sitting areas, landscaping, the physical separation between motorized traffic and NMT traffic, street lighting. The walkways have been sized to adequately accommodate the large numbers of pedestrians in line with standards specified in the Highway Capacity Manual 2000. Motorized traffic has been separated from the NMT by physical barriers to avoiding conflict. The corridor has been beautified.
Last updated: November 13, 2021 Kampala, Uganda
Reduction of traffic congestion and improvement of air quality
The pedestrian and cycling environments were designed with safe, clear and unobstructed connections to the different streets within the project scope. The pedestrianization of some key streets will eliminate motorized traffic from these streets thus eliminating congestion. Elimination of motorized traffic will improve air quality due to reduced vehicle CO2 emissions. The Landscaping aspects proposed along the streets eg. Grasses and trees contribute to the reduction of CO2 in the atmosphere thus improving air quality. This will be a step towards achieving SDG numbers 3 and 11.
Improvement of economic livelihoods of project beneficiaries
As part of the walking and cycling facilities, vending areas and plazas have been allotted specific spaces. People using NMT facilities will be able to purchase items such as foodstuffs from the vendors set up along the facilities. The commercial activities of the vendors will improve their economic livelihoods. The NMT facilities shall lead to the development of bicycle-related businesses for example bicycle share schemes that shall further contribute to the economic livelihoods of the proprietors and the people that will be employed by these businesses. More people including tourists will be attracted to the NMT facilities because of the organized nature of the streets thus more customers for businesses. The growth of businesses will give rise to the increase in tax revenue collected.
Reduction in noise pollution
Elimination of motorized traffic on some of the roads will greatly contribute to the reduction of noise arising from the car engines. The reduction in noise shall create a more peaceful and clean environment further encouraging the use of a facility. The adoption of NMT will enable achievement of the permissible noise levels specified in the National Environment Noise standards and Control Regulations.
CO2 Lifecycle Assessment
The project is intended to reduce CO2 emissions by:
- Planting of trees and grassing since plants during photosynthesis extract CO2 from the atmosphere.
- Reducing the number of motorized vehicles by pedestrianization of some streets.
- Making walking ways and cycle lanes safer and more attractive thus encouraging a mode shift to NMT modes.
- Ensuring connectivity of NMT infrastructure to public transport modes to further the use of private vehicles thus reducing CO2 emissions that would have been produced by the private vehicles.
- Use of solar power for lighting streets at night thus eliminating the need for thermal energy that would contribute to the CO2 emissions.
- Advocating for transit-oriented development.