Developing Urban Roads and Managing Motorization

Abstract

Rapid urbanization trend in Asian countries is accompanied by rising motorization. Motorization, as interpreted in terms of the degree of ownership and usage of motorized vehicle, is mostly concentrated in urban areas. The trend is more pronounced in megacities due to higher demand and affordability for private vehicles. The increasing urban population and vehicle numbers in Asian megacities have caused a range of problems, such as traffic congestion, air pollution, and unsustainable level of energy consumption. Growing popularity of motorcycles in some Asian megacities has accelerated motorization even at a lower level of income, magnifying the challenges. However, provision of road infrastructure in Asian megacities is far inadequate to satisfactorily serve the motorized traffic. As for the road investment, policymakers face the binding constraint of funding. There is also a risk of promoting motorization because of road expansion as is often pointed by road skeptics.