AbstractRoad transportation plays a vital role to the economic development and social integration of a country. But in Bangladesh we face many problems in this sector. One of the most challenging and complicated issues in city management in the present decade for Bangladesh is the traffic problem.

Traffic congestion is a common phenomenon almost in all the cities of Bangladesh. This situation has become to a very critical stage and has already assumed unbearable proportions in the cities of Bangladesh. Cities of Bangladesh cannot afford the economic and environmental loss resulted from this severe traffic congestion.

Our country is facing congestion problem in many parts of it. But it was difficult for us to work around the whole country so we decided to work on an area where we can do our work properly without hampering our regular classes. For that purpose we decided to work on Banani area where we can work during our classes. We have chosen the area between Banani 11 and Kamal Ataturk Avenue for our project .In this portion of Banani the main road users are mostly permanent residents living here, students of different private universities & schools , people working in different corporate office. There is a huge amount of people coming in this area for shopping purpose. The type of vehicles available here is both motorized and non motorized which reduces the roadway capacity and causes congestion.

The aim of our project was to detect the problems causing congestion in Banani and to make a proposal to overcome the problems. We have proposed several hypothesis and we have taken public and experts opinion about our hypothesis.

Chapter : One Chapter Title : Background

CHAPTER 1: BACKGROUND

1.1Current situation in Bangladesh

Road transportation plays a vital role to the economic development & social integration of a country. Easy accessibility, flexibility of operation, door to door service and reliability has earned road transport an increasingly higher shear of both passenger and freight traffic. As Bangladesh is a developing country, it needs a better traffic system for its prosperity and development. However, unfortunately the transportation system is not well planned and is full of lacking, results in traffic jam as well as increasing amount of road accidents. The transportation system is still growing.

In traditional sense, traffic management is the science of extracting maximum capacity from existing roads. Roads and streets, particularly in urban areas, suffer from numerous inhibiting factors that constrain their efficiency as traffic routes.Hencethe imposition of measures such as stopping and parking. Proper management of transportation system can improve the current situation

1.2 Present picture of Bangladesh:

Bangladesh is a small country having 1, 47,570sq. km land and 16 million people. It is the most densely populated country having 946people living in per sq. km. this over population causes a bad impact on the roadway.

There are around 3 million non-motorized vehicles & 1.5 million motorized vehicles running at present on the roads of Bangladesh (www.worldbank.org/indicator/IS.VEH.NVEH.P3). TheNumber is increasing day by day .But for this increasing number of vehicles there are only 3478.42 km national highway, 4221.52 km regional highway, 13247.79 km Zillah road (www.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_roads in Bangladesh) which is insufficient compared to neighbor country India. This unplanned roadway is causing traffic jam & road accidents every day. The amount of roadway is insufficient but proper planning & management can reduce the problems of traffic jam & accident.

There are some black spots where accident is a daily occurrence and congestion kills a lot of general peoples valuable time.

The roadway network of Bangladesh is not very strong but it is not too weak also. The road network of Bangladesh is shown in the following map

Map /pic of jam in spots.

Fig 1.1 (1): Roadway network Bangladesh.

This network shows the major roads connecting the country.

This roadway network is neither enough nor very poor for serving our purpose. Proper planning and management can make the best use of our existing roadways .the following figure shows a horrible picture of traffic jam .

\

Fig 1.1(2) :Traffic Jam in Dhaka city caused by too many vehicles

Fig 1.1 (3) : Dhaka- Chittagong highway congestion1.3 Present picture of capital city Dhaka

Traffic congestion is one of the biggest problems in the City of Dhaka. This problem is increasing day by day because of increasing traffic as well as inefficient traffic management techniques. Dhaka is the 9th largest city in the world and also 28th among the most densely populated cities in the world. She covers an area of 360 sq. km (140 sq. mi) having population of over 16 million .This map shows an overview of Dhaka city

Fig 1.3 (1) : Dhaka City Map

The transportation system of Dhaka is predominantly road based and non-motorized transportation (mainly rickshaws) has a substantial share. Dhakas road network is nearly 3000 km (of which 200 km primary, 110 km secondary, 50 km feeder and 2640 km narrow roads) with few alternative connector roads and it represents the proportion of road surface to built-up area hardly 7% as against 25% recommended for a good city planning. Only 400 km footpath is available for pedestrian of which 40% are being occupied illegally by vendors and others. There are no effective bi-cycle lanes and safe walkways even. Although 37-km long rail-road passes through the heart of the city but it has little contribution to citys transport system due to policy constraints. Although the motorization level in Dhaka is till very low comparing to similar sized cities of the world, the rate of increase of various types of vehicles in recent years is significant. Figure-1 shows the incremental growth of motorized vehicles in Dhaka city over time. More than 500,000 rickshaws ply on Dhakas roads (STP, 2005). There are around 100 open markets on the streets and 3000 shopping malls beside the roads without adequate parking provisions. Most of the signals are manually controlled and insufficient traffic policemen are to control the traffic.

Figure 1.3 (2) -: Motor Vehicles Growth Trends in Dhaka City over Time (1994-2006)Source: BRTA, 2007

Dhakas transport environment is characterized by mixed-modes transports using the same road space, traffic congestion, delays, mismanagement, conflict of jurisdictions, poor coordination among organizations and increasing environmental problems. The distribution of modal choices in Dhaka is unique among cities of comparable size in the world. The primary mode of transport is particularly interesting, with about a third (34%) using rickshaws, almost half (44%) using transit/buses; and a quarter (22%) comprised of walk (14%) and non-transit motorized (8%) modes (STP, 2005). Current average trip length is 5.37 kms (by buses 8.40 kms; by rickshaws 2.34 kms) and across all modes of travel average trip time is about 15 minutes. Pedestrian volumes of 10,000 to 20,000 per day are common and reach as high as 30,000 to 50,000 per day in the Old City area. Only about 2% households own a bicycle. Buses & minibuses are the cheapest mode available as mass transit and average cost of transport ranges from about 8% of household income for high income groups to 17% for low income groups (DITS, 1993). Large groups within the society have very poor access to transport services. Since 1995 to 2005, the roads of Dhaka have increased only by 5%, but population and traffic have increased by over 50% and 134% respectively.Transport service in Dhaka has several deficiencies resulting from a combination of factors - physical, developmental and institutional-cum-policy framework-related which lead to lower efficiency, higher transport costs, longer waiting & travel time, discomfort and more significantly, transport unreliability with major adverse consequence for the economy & environment. An example of the absence of good traffic management and coordination among agencies is the chaotic disorder that exists in many areas of Dhaka today. Rapid population growth, the absence of planning control and poor economic conditions have contributed to the lack of organization on the public rights-of-way. There is also a high level of operation disorder, which significantly diminishes the efficiency and effectiveness of the existing transport systems. The present bus services (operated under as many as 750 individual ownerships) provide inefficient, unproductive, and unsafe level of services. Long waiting, delay on plying, overloading, discomfort, and long walking distance from the residence/work place to bus stoppages are some of the obvious problems that confront the users in their daily life. In peak hours they very often load and unload in unspecified stops. It is a common practice in rush hours to deny access to the old, women, and children passengers, because this group has a tendency to avoid fighting during boarding and alighting.

Today the mega city Dhaka is one of the worlds crowded & congested cities. Many have expressed their apprehension that Dhaka is destined to be the worlds largest slum, if we make further delays to take corrective measures. Its traffic congestion not only causes increased costs, loss of time & psychological strain, but also poses serious threats to our socioeconomic environment. With its present situation of traffic systems, the city stands in dire need for a radical transformation in the structural sense. Until and unless there is immediate and effective solution, the system will collapse. We need to take comprehensive view of the present shortcomings and future potentialities of the metropolis to identify and work out plans for formulating strategies to standardize the efficiency of traffic flow and effectiveness of transportation system because choices about transportation system concern the kind of city we want to live in. To maintain the economic viability of this city and to keep its environment sustainable, an efficient mass transportation system is imperative

Fig 1.3 (3): Typical Traffic Jam in Dhaka City (farm gate)

1.4 Present situation of our working area Banani :

Our country is facing congestion problem in many parts of it.it was difficult for us to work around the whole country so we decided to work on an area where we can do our work properly without hampering our regular classes. For that purpose we decided to work on Banani area where we can work during our class. .Banani is a mainly residential area of north Dhaka. It is an area under Dhaka South city corporation .It is in ward no 19.The area is bounded to its west by the busy dual four lane New-airport, Banani lake defines its eastern border, whilst the area itself is bisected by two east-west roads that effectively split it into three character areas. The most capacious of these roads is Kamal Ataturk Avenue, a divided highway that connects New Airport road with the district Centre of Gulshan 2 circle. Banani 11 provides other east west route .A overall view of our working area is given below.

Fig 1.4 : Road network of Banani 11 to Kamal Ataturk Avenue

This map shows us top view of our whole working area. The length and width of different roads are given below in the chart. This chart gives us the idea about the type of the road & its location.Table 1.1: Banani study area road Information.

RoadLength (m)Width (m)Remarks

KAA9332 x (12/14)District distributer, dual carriageway, commercial frontages.

43224.5/7.5Narrow road used as N-S local distributer, commercial frontage, some katcha surface.

6(0)3226/15Relatively narrow road used as N-S local distributer, some katcha surface.

6(1)1446/12Residential E-W access road

6(12)1225.5/7.5Residential minor, N-S access road, residential.

6(2)1445.5/8.5Residential E-W access road

6(21)1225.5/7.5Residential minor, N-S access road, residential some katcha surface.

82337.5/15N-S local distributer, commercial frontage.

103226/15N-S local distributer, mixed (shop house), frontage, katcha surface at the southern end.

1111729/21E-W local distributer used as district distributer. Worst pedestrian and traffic condition of any road in Banani.

123226/18N-S local distributer, commercial frontages

13(0)3894.5/9Residential E-W access road narrow usable carriage way

13(1)1944.5/7.5Residential E-W access road, narrow usable carriageway.

13(2)1285.5/12Residential E-W access road, narrow usable carriageway

13(3)1615.5/14Residential N-S access road, narrow usable

13(4)1005.5/14Residential N-S access road, narrow usable carriageway.

13/A (1)2664.5/10.5Residential E-W access road, narrow usable carriageway, some katcha surface

13/A (2)1284.5/7.5Residential N-S access road, narrow usable carriageway

13/A (3)677.5/10.5Residential N-S access road, reasonable wide carriageway

13/B 1944.5/12Residential E-W access road, narrow usable carriageway, semi pakka & katcha surface

13/C (1)2006/20Residential E-W access road, reasonably wide carriageway

13/C (2)1225.5/ 12Residential E-W carriageway, reasonably wide carriageway.

13/ C (3)613.5/10.5Residential N-S access road, very narrow usable carriageway.

15(1)2667.7/18Residential E-W access road, reasonably wide carriage.

15(2)2339/18Residential N-S access road, wide carriageway

17(1)14410.5/17E-W access road, educational activity, pedestrians, wide carriageway.

17(2)30512/24.5E-W access road, canyon-like street between tall buildings (commercial and educational, hotel).Seriously degraded street.

17(3)3897.5/21E-W access road, tall building to north( commercial, educational, hotel ), seriously degraded street just over a third of its width is available for traffic

17 (4)2007.5/15E-W access road, mainly commercial to N-S

17 (5)1114.5/17Residential E-W access road, narrow usable carriageway

17 /A (1)1947.5/18Residential E-W access road, reasonably wide carriageway

17/ A (2)1173/7.5Residential E-W access road, very narrow carriageway

19/ A 3396/4Residential N-S access road, narrow usable carriageway, Blocked during side visits because of construction work

UNR (1)8315/24.5Short, relatively wide N-S commercial connector

UNR (2)11112/17Shopping street with tall frontage to both sizes, heavily trafficked

UNR (3)5612/17Very wide N-S connector alongside open air car park.

UNR (4)447.5/9Short relatively wide N-S residential connector.

Notes: KAA = Kamal Ataturk Avenue UNR = Unnamed Road ( At-least no name is given on the source map) N-S = North South E-W = East West In the width column the first width is that of the carriageway and the second is the frontage to frontage width

The study area covers 32 Hectare and contains 8.76 km of roads(including the bordering roads of Kamal Ataturk Avenue and road 11).Roads were originally set out in a hierarchical fashion .Kamal Ataturk Avenue is a district distributor ,whilst Road 11 has assumed a similar role, despite being totally unsuited to such a function .Several north-south roads serve as local distributors ,even though the available carriageway widths are quite inadequate for the task .all east-west roads(other than Kamal Ataturk Avenue and road 11) are local access roads ,some are very narrow and several lack metaled surfaces.

Traffic mainly comprises cycle rickshaws, pedal-cycles, saloon cars and 4WD vehicles. Private vehicles are numerous because many local residents and visitors can afford to own and use them. Buses, personnel carrier and motor cycles are rare and Lorries only appear at night (unless they are employed on construction projects).Pedestrian activity is quite intense, and comprises residents, workers, shoppers, students, beggars and the homeless

Motorized vehicles

Non-motorized vehicle

Private cars, buses, motorcycles, Lorries, saloon cars,Cycle ,rickshaw, pedal cycle etc.

Our project area comprises the centermost, busiest and densest of Bananis three character areas, situated between Kamal Ataturk Avenue and road no 11.On first impression the locality gives a favorable impression of tree-lined avenues. The main development type is residential flats, typically rising to the maximum permitted six stories (although this limit now appears to have been relaxed to eight stories).

In our working area Banani 11 and Kamal Ataturk Avenue is the busiest one. The side roads are also busy but only at pick hour (9 a.m-12p.m , 3 p.m-6 p. m ).in this area main development type is high rise residential flats, shopping malls ,corporate office, and most importantly campus of private universities. At road no 17 there is campus of three universities and surprisingly these three universities have their anothercampus in Kamal Ataturk Avenue. In road no 17 there is a substantial hotel. The width of these roads is good but much is lost to such functions as right angle car parking, construction material dumps and food stalls. Thereis also some commercial spaces which causes congestion .other roads in the north also serve commercial functions including the whole southern side of Kamal Ataturk Avenue. The following figures show the present situation of our study area.

Fig 1.4 (2) : Campous of private universities

Fig 1.4 (3): Banani 17 congestion

Fig 1.4 (4) : Congestion caused by on street parking.

Our study area has been re-developed within last few years and still it is growing. Instead of one 4 or 5 storied building there is 10 to 15 storied apartments .Flats have almost entirely replaced single family houses, whilst apartment blocks are themselves being demolished to make way for alternatives with greater earning potential(typically by making replacements taller, increasing their plot ratio or changing their use to commercial or mixed developments).Indeed, non-residential uses are scattered everywhere, with educational and medical premises being particularly common place. Shops, boutiques and guest houses are also spread throughout the area.

In south of our study area ,Road 11 is largely commercialized with shops,banks,restaurants and a hotel .traffic is particular intense along this road ,not only because it is used as a through route but also because of numerous parking and unparking activities and a tendency for vehicles to make three point turns in the road. The road must once have been a quiet local distributor, but it was transformed into a major through-route when the Gulshan-Banani Bridge was opened. The result of this innovation is an overwhelming traffic environment where pedestrians cross the road at great peril & where cacophony of horns and rickshaw bells persists throughout day and late into the night. Impenetrable vehicular congestion often blights the road as through-traffic contests its right of passage with cars trying to reverse from angle-parked position on shop and restaurant forecourts. The road is a source of stress to its users, signified by the eruption of unpleasant episodes amongst drivers, rickshaw puller and pedestrians.

The pedestrian condition in our study area is very bad. Most access roads within the area lack any form of sidewalk .There is no footpath for the pedestrian in the roads of Banani. Walking in the study area reveals that the pedestrian is regarded with contempt by every type of mechanized road user. Traffic condition varies by street and time of day. Some streets are thronged by rickshaws, both moving and congregated by the dozen in the hope of winning customers. Rickshaws are permitted on all streets except Kamal Ataturk Avenue although this stricture does noes not necessarily mean that they cannot be found there. Motor vehicles are commonplace and the study areas general income level indicates that car ownership may be several times greater than in Dhaka generally. The only road that carries recognizable public buses is Kamal Ataturk Avenue, although the service is infrequent compared with that on New Airport Road and some other bus corridors.

There is a general absence of the traffic signs, road marking and street furniture that could otherwise guide, warn or control traffic. Apart from traffic signals at the junction of Kamal Ataturk Avenue and New Airport Road, there are no traffic signals within the Study area. Likewise ,there are no Give Way lines or lane divider marking .one junction ,namely at roads 10 and 11,regularly benefits from a traffic policeman, whilst elsewhere doormen (who are employed by hotels and businesses)venture into the traffic to assist pedestrians and customers trying to park or un-park their cars.

Other than a few businesses and apartment blocks that benefit from dedicated car parks, there is no formal parking provision within the Study area. Cars may be parked randomly at the roadside, but the most common arrangement is right angle parking which both reduces the available road width for traffic and impedes pedestrian movement.

1.5 Our findings

So we can summaries our finding as follows:

Banani is basically a residential area but in last few years it has become both residential and commercial area.

Besides 2 to 3 storied residential buildings there is multistoried apartments, shopping malls, private university campuses, restaurants, food stalls , corporate offices of some important companies

The economic value of the study area is sufficiently attractive for private sector investment.

The pedestrian need sufficient footpath for fulfilling their purpose.

The parking facility is not enough, besides that people are not using the off-street parking because of their unawareness.

The commercial spaces such as shopping malls are scattered throughout the area. There are no rules for establishing any shopping mall any one can develop a shopping mall.

There is lack of road marking, signs and signals.

The road width is not sufficient for more than two lanes.

Chapter : TwoChapter Title : Background

CHAPTER 2: INTRODUCTION2.1 What is Transportation Planning?Transportation helps shape an areas economic health and quality of life. Not only does the transportation system provide for the mobility of people and goods, it also influences patterns of growth and economic activity by providing access to land. The performance of the system affects public policy concerns like air quality, environmental resource consumption, social equity, land use, urban growth, economic development, safety, and security. Transportation planning recognizes the critical links between transportation and other societal goals. The planning process is more than merely listing highway and transit capital projects. It requires developing strategies for operating, managing, maintaining, and financing the areas transportation system in such a way as to advance the areas long-term goals.Transportation planning, or transport planning, is involved with the evaluation, assessment, design and siting of transport facilities (generally streets, highways, bike lanes and public transport lines).Transportation planning, or transport planning, has historically followed the rational planning model of defining goals and objectives, identifying problems, generating alternatives, evaluating alternatives, and developing plans. Other models for planning include rational actor, transit oriented development, satisficing, incremental planning, organizational process, and political bargaining.However, planners are increasingly expected to adopt a multi-disciplinary approach, especially due to the rising importance of environmentalism. For example, the use of behavioural psychology to persuade drivers to abandon their automobiles and use public transport instead. The role of the transport planner is shifting from technical analysis to promoting sustainability through integrated transport policies.[1]The following key roles must be performed by transport planners: Take account of the social, economic and environmental context of their work. Understand the legal, regulatory policy and resource framework within which they work. Understand and create transport policies, strategies and plans that contribute to meeting social, economic and environmental needs. Design the necessary transport projects, systems and services Understand the commercial aspects of operating transport systems and services

2.2 OVERVIEW OF TRANSPORTATION PLANNINGTransportation planning plays a fundamental role in the state, region or communitys vision for its future. It includes a comprehensive consideration of possible strategies; an evaluation process that encompasses diverse viewpoints; the collaborative participation of relevant transportation-related agencies and organizations; and open, timely, and meaningful public involvement.

2.2.1What is the transportation planning process?Transportation planning is a cooperative process designed to foster involvement by all users of the system, such as the business community, community groups, environmental organizations, the traveling public, freight operators, and the general public, through a proactive public participation process conducted by the Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO), state Department of Transportation (state DOT), and transit operators. Figure 1 illustrates the transportation planning process.

2.2.2Transportation planning includes a number of steps:Monitoring existing conditions;

Forecasting future population and employment growth, including assessing projected land uses in the region and identifying major growth corridors; Identifying current and projected future transportation problems and needs and analyzing, through detailed planning studies, various transportation improvement strategies to address those needs; Developing long-range plans and short-range programs of alternative capital improvement and operational strategies for moving people and goods; Estimating the impact of recommended future improvements to the transportation system on environmental features, including air quality.

2.3 Transport in Bangladesh

Fig 2.3 - Map of the transport system in Bangladesh.Transport in Bangladesh is an important part of the nation's economy. Since the liberation of the country, the development of infrastructure within the country has progressed at a rapid pace, and today there is a wide variety of modes of transport by land, water and air. However, there is significant progress still to be made to ensure uniform access to all available transport.

2.3.1 Traffic jam in BangladeshOne of the most challenging and complicated issues in city management in the present decade for Bangladesh is the traffic problem .It is a very common phenomenon in almost all the cities of Bangladesh. Presently, traffic congestion problem in Bangladesh are increasing at an alarming rate. The traffic problem has become to a very dangerous arena and has already implicit agonizing extent in the cities. With continued economic growth and development, Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh is beginning to experience massive traffic congestion. Today, this is causing extreme frustration to the inhabitants of the metropolitan which is the largest and most crowded city of the nation. Many government and public transport agencies drafted policies, undertook projects and implemented programs to solve these problems. For example, the Dhaka Integrated Transport Studies conducted by the Ministry of Planning in 1991-1994 found that not only did the uncoordinated activities of Dhaka City Corporation (DCC), Rajdhani Unnyan Kartripakkha (RAJUK) and Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA) not yield the desired effects or alleviate the problems but also that there was no single organization responsible for improving the transport and traffic problems of the city.

2.3.2 Importance Of Transportation Planning In Dhaka:Dhaka is fast becoming one of the largest cities in the world. With 13 million people it is also one of the most traffic congested. By 2020,the megacity's population is expected to rise to 22 - 25 million.This rapid populationgrowthtogether withthe limited space available for new transport infrastructure will further aggravate theheavy congestion in Dhaka.Bangladesh already has one of the highest traffic fatality rates in the world. Upgrading transport services for more efficient use of limited space isthereforecritical for ensuring peoples mobility, improving their quality of life, and boosting economic growth.

2.3.3 Traffic Problem in Dhaka City:Dhaka, the capital city of Bangladesh is one of the most populated and polluted cities in the world. It is now facing serious traffic problem along with drainage, housing, water, sewerage, gas and electricity. The traffic congestion cost is US$3 billion a year and the City losses over 8 million work hours daily.A number of mega projects are on the table as a possible solution and few of them are discussed at the higher level for quick implementation as a priority without undertaking any feasibility study. It is easily perceptible that there is no short cut way to implement large projects quickly. This is due to nature of work, funding arrangement and related formalities and it also needs proper investigation to select appropriate project for implementation. An attempt of quick implementation may lead inappropriate selection of projects which may not be helpful in reducing the problem and will not be the best value for money.Very few discussions are underway to maximize the utilization of the existing road reserve and infrastructures. Even no short to medium term plans are under consideration properly to alleviate the problem which can be done by ensuring the appropriate use of roads, waterways, footpaths and by improving the public transport system. It is suggested to initiate a number of low cost short to medium term actions/options - mostly by using own resources which will reduce approximate 30% of the traffic congestion and will indicate the need for appropriate long term solutions.The relevant authorities should work to implement a number of small scale projects immediately and progress proposals of large projects for implementation as long term solutions where needed to remove the traffic problems in a well planned way.One of the most challenging/complicated issues in the present decade for Bangladesh is the traffic problem of its capital city, which is deteriorating day by day with the increase in population and vehicles. At present, Dhaka has a population over 14 million which is expected to be 24 million by 2021 (7% increase per year). It is one of the most densely populated and polluted cities in the world.This historic City always attracts people from other parts of the country as there are benefits to live in Dhaka for its renowned educational institutions, better business and employment opportunities. Apart from these advantages, it has serious problems with traffic, drainage, housing, water supply and sewerage, gas and electricity. Traffic Jam at Dhaka on rickshaw free road (left) and illegal parking - occupying almost 50% of the road and hawkers activities on footpath (right)The City is now experiencing severe traffic problem which records high in all considerations. The rapid population growth together with limited space available for new roads and other transport infrastructures has made the congestion problem unbearable to the city dwellers.It sounds terrible that the congestion cost is over Tk.19 thousand crore (approx. US$3.00 billion) a year in Dhaka and the City loses 8.16 millions work hours daily. The impact on the environment from vehicle emission due to traffic congestion can easily be perceptible which is yet to be determined.

This historic City always attracts people from other parts of the country as there are benefitsto live in Dhaka for its renowned educational institutions, better business and employmentopportunities. Apart from these advantages, it has serious problems with traffic, drainage,housing, water supply and sewerage, gas and electricity.

Fig 2.3.3 : Traffic Jam at Dhaka on rickshaw free road (left) and illegal parking - occupying almost 50%of the road and hawkers activities on footpath (right).

The City is now experiencing severe traffic problem which records high in all considerations. The rapid population growth together with limited space available for new roads and othertransport infrastructures has made the congestion problem unbearable to the city dwellers.It sounds terrible that the congestion cost is over Tk.19 thousand crore (approx. US$3.00billion) a year in Dhaka and the City loses 8.16 millions work hours daily. The impact on the environment from vehicle emission due to traffic congestion can easily be perceptible which is yet to be determined.

2.3.4 Existing situation and causes of congestion

Dhaka has only 7%-8% of road against 25% required for a standard metropolitan city and theActual utilization is much less than this. This is due to the reasons that part of roads andfootpaths are occupied illegally by local residents/ businesses, car-parkers, hawkers, footpathdwellers etc. The net road space available for use is indeed very less compared to the CitysCurrent requirement.

Recent traffic and transport related information collected from different studies (Democraticwatch, Strategic Transport Plan for Dhaka STP, 2007 etc.) on existing trips, their natures andModal distributions are shown in the tables below:

Modal share or Mode split Modal split is a traffic/transport term which is frequently used to describe the percentagesof travellers using a particular type of transport. If 40% of travellers use rickshaws, 30% use buses and 20% use train and 10%use car, then the public transport modal share is 50% (bus+ train), motor vehicle modal share would be 40% (bus + car), NMTsmodal share would be 40%.

Couple of points from the above findings are given below for a better understanding of someof the facts: 45% of the trips are home to office and educational institutions (32% + 13%) 46% of the trips are other (incidental trips like shopping etc) Approx. 9% of the trips are made by cars which occupy 40% of the road spaces Approx. 54% of the trips are by rickshaws which occupy 41% of the road Approx. 28% of the trips are by buses which occupy 6.5% of the road spacesThe main causes of congestion are unplanned urban development, improper use of roadinfrastructures and reserves, inadequate capacity of road and intersections, insufficient publicTransport, mixed traffic on the same road space, operational disorder, lack of systematic trafficcontrol, and inadequate east-west roads etc.

Recent mitigation measures and discussions on the issueIn recent years, a number of decisions have been considered to address the problem likechange in school timing, suspending schedules for peak hour trains (incoming and outgoingfor about 3 hours a day) etc. Ban on rickshaw movements on some of the major roads areimplemented in recent years and there are discussions and pressure for more rickshaw freeroads.

2.4 Future mega projects

A numberof mega projects like circular train, circular roads, elevated expressways, metro rails etc. are recommended as part of different development plans for long term solutions. These projects are huge in terms of their nature, physical works and investment, and definitely need couple of years to commence following completion of feasibility study, design works, funding arrangements and other related formalities.

It is highly disappointing to see the declaration by some of the high officials to implement mega projects without feasibility studies, funding arrangements and other relevantformalities. To achieve success, there is no short cut way to implement this type of largeprojects without maintaining proper procedure.

There are discussions, debates, and analysis at every level for long term solutions; but very few people are talking about short term or low cost measures to mitigate the extent of the problem. It should keep in mind that implementation of mega projects may not contribute to the problem extensively if not warranted.

2.5 Governments position

It is realistic to think that no Government will get sufficient time to implement all or few megaprojects within their tenure. So, it will be wise to implement numerous small scale initiativeswithin shortest possible time to reduce the problem. At the same time, related works to startmega projects may be initiated so that projects could be completed in the next tenuremaintaining all related formalities/studies. Success in mitigating the extent of the problem willgive confidence to the mass people that the existing Government will be able to work for longterm solution if they come to the power next time. Otherwise, the next Government may takethe advantage of implementing the planned works based on their merits - there should not beany change at that level if we want to get rid of the problem.An attempt to implement large projects without proper selection may not give adequatebenefit in the long run. This will become a burden not only on the city dwellers but also on thepeople and the economy of the country and will be a suicidal decision for the Government.There may be outside pressure or loan offer from foreign countries to implement megaprojects quickly which may or may not be advantageous in reducing the traffic congestion. So,it is the Government who will take all necessary steps to find out appropriate projects that willgive full benefit to the issue and best value for money.

2.6 Existing Transport Modes Rail and bus Services

Historic and economic factors have resulted in road transport being the dominant form of transport in Dhaka and also at all cities in Bangladesh. Rail suffers from an under investment due to reliance of road transport. The existing railway system has almost no contribution in carrying traffic within the metropolitan area. However, some local trains transfer commuter passengers on Dhaka-Tongi and Dhaka-Narayangonj routes. As the traffic volume is at the highest level, rail should have an increasingly important role to play in transferring passengers efficiently to and from different parts of the City.

Public and private bus/minibus services are in operation to transfer traffic on different routes. These are very less in number compared to the total traffic volume and contributeonly 28% of the vehicular modal share. The bus system cant contribute more due totraffic congestion on major bus routes, insufficient number of buses, lack of bus lanesetc.

2.6.1 Water Transport

Dhaka has a long history of its river based transport and the present Government has recently initiated water bus services on few routes. Governments recent plan for circular water way and introduction of water buses are praiseworthy works which will divert a portion of road traffic to use the water transports.Government should continue its initiatives of recovering rivers and canals and make them navigable. This will also be beneficial in mitigating the water logging problem of the City and will give some environmental benefits.

2.6.2 Bus services for educational institutes and officesMost of the public universities, colleges few government and business organizations operate their own bus services in peak hours. This system should be well supported so that there are initiatives for the increase of buses to accommodate all the trips generated by their staffs and students. This arrangement gives the benefit of managing the peak hour traffic and reduces pressure on the bus operating companies.

2.6.3 Non- motorized transportNon Motorized Transports (NMT) are mainly walking, cycling etc and the use of rickshaws in Bangladesh. The presence of NMT should be considered properly in Dhaka which is still the dominant mode of transport (contribute 56.5% of the trips using 41% of the road space where as car contributes 9% using 40% of the road).The claim that rickshaw is mainly responsible for traffic congestion is not true. If it is the case, why do we have congestion on rickshaw free routes in the City? It is not only the rickshaws -there are several other factors for the traffic congestion in Dhaka. Cycling contributes 2.53% of the trips where no infrastructure or facilities has ever been built or developed for it. Another important component is the overall modal share of pedestrians which is over 62% as per Dhaka Urban Transport Plan (DUTP). This proves that walking is still popular. Proper walking environment can increase this figure significantly and will make the City safer due to more pedestrians activities.NMT World contextThere are considerable demands for integrated sustainable transport system all over the world. Continuous increase in fuel price and environmental awareness motivated the developed countries to think for alternative transport. Current preferred transport componentsin the developed world include public transport system like mass rapid transfer by bus andtrain, NMT (Cycle, rickshaws etc) and low fuel consumption cars.Most of the western countries are now introducing NMT in their metropolitan cities and aretrying to motivate people to use NMT and public transport. See the following rickshaws(termed as rickshaw taxi/ tricycle taxi) in New York, London and Australia streets:New York RickshawsGroup transfer from Times Square to Columbus Circle, Interactive outdoor sightseeing rides through Central Park and Times SquareRickshaws at London streets and in Australia (right)Impacts of rickshaw ban on Dhaka streetsThere are discussions for ban on rickshaws which will be more catastrophic due to its contribution to traffic and job security to the rickshaw pullers. One of the transport study findings shows that

Office travel is occurred mainly by rickshaws (42 per cent), followed by buses (31 percent) and scooter/tempo (14 per cent). Rickshaws are most preferred for school/college/shopping trips - 52% of school trips,47% of shopping trips, and 46% of college trips are occurred by rickshaws.

If rickshaw is banned, in transport term -what will happen to the transport of middle classpeople who are dependent on rickshaws, and how will this travel demand be addressed? Inemployment term - this may lead unrest and possible increase in crimes in the society dueloss of jobs.One of the recent studies indicates that about five millions (50 lacs, over 3.5% of population)people in Bangladesh are dependent on the income of rickshaw pullers.Rickshaws provide door to door transport at all times and in all weather. It is the ideal andbest form of transport in the world in many ways as it uses no fuels, emits no smoke/gas andfor Bangladesh it employs a large number of the poorest population. So, rickshaws should notbe banned as it has been proved as pollution free, space efficient transport system for qualitytransport services for short distances.

Number of rickshaws

It is a concern that the number of rickshaws is more than the license issued by the Dhaka City Corporation and the attempts to remove these illegal rickshaws from the road were failed for several reasons. The numbers will definitely reduce to an acceptable level if alternative transport systems like cycle and buses/rails are improved, as with the improvements of alternate transport, income level will decrease which may lead a portion of the rickshaw pullers to change their professions.

2.7 Suggested key points to address the issue

2.7.1 Short to medium term actions for future opportunities

There is no reason to think that only one solution can solve the problem or any costly option (metro, express way etc.) can remove the problem overnight. It is needed to implement small scale projects now to mitigate the extent of the problem and at the same time make progress to implement long term solutions.Proper utilization of existing roads and traffic management can reduce the traffic congestion by approximately 30%. For Dhaka, the significant reduction in traffic congestion lies under the components where most of the trips are less than 6.5km, NMT plays an important role (carry over 56% of trips) and people still like to walk (overall modal share 62.82%).The base case scenario should be all road infrastructures and road reserves are fully utilized for transport purposes. Unfortunately, it is not the case for Bangladesh. Hence, considering the existing situation of Dhaka as base case implementing the following small scale works will return more benefit than expected:

Ensure the proper use of transport recourses/infrastructures by

Recovering road, footpath/road reserves and river ways from the illegal users.

Maximizing the utilization of all road infrastructures and waterways (road,footpaths, over bridges, underpass etc.)

Grade separating all major intersections of the network for better traffic flow; say2-3 intersections per year.

Introducing turning lanes (left/right) to increase capacity at intersection.

Relocating footpath hawkers and road side markets (that interrupt traffic movement) to new low cost market places constructed by the relevant department/RCA. Open space may also be used as temporary business place as morning/ evening market for 3/4 days a week.

Relocating footpath dwellers to low cost shelters - to be constructed by the Government away form the city area in a planned way. Eviction will not work as they will come back to live on the footpath. These helpless people have no place to live in and it is our responsibility to ensure some of the basic needs for them.

Installing road divider to separate both way traffic flows. This will also improve the safety.

Fig : 2.7.1 - Risky road crossing almost no use of over bridge.Construction vehicle and materials on road andfootpath dwellers (needs enforcement/relocation to ensure the proper use of road space).

2.7.2 Improve the existing bus transport system by

Introducing dedicated public transport lanes (bus only lanes), initially on the existing rickshaw free corridors/roads and then on other main roads as dedicated or shared bus lane(s) with car. Allowing emergency vehicles (ambulance, fire services, police car) to use the bus only lanes Increasing number of buses on each route and introducing new bus routes to connect different areas of the City. Keeping provision of one lane for car to discourage the use of car as this occupies more space and contributes less in the Citys traffic. Encouraging educational/business institutions and offices to introduce and increase student/staff buses. Encouraging Government officers to use office bus and restricting car use up to certain levels and for official use only.

Fig 2.7.2(1) - Car dominant roads -lack of public transport (imagine the capacity of a bus which occupies approximate 2 car spaces). The above roads are sufficient for one car lane, one dedicated bus lane and lanes for cyclesand rickshaws.

Fig 2.7.2 (2) Examples of Bus only lane and cycle lanes

2.7.3 Promote cycling, walking and use of other NMT

Promote cycling, walking and use of other NMT (rickshaws) by:

Introducing 2-3 m wide cycle lane on both sides of the road or shared use of footpath with pedestrians. Providing safe and secure bike sheds at office/business areas and educational institutions. Converting one standard road lane to rickshaw lanes (two rickshaw lanes) ineach direction. Ensuring proper walking environment on footpaths and other walkways. Thehawkers may be relocated to small or temporary market places or nearby open spaces for operating their businesses as discussed above

Fig 2.7.3 Examples of on and off road cycle facilities and cycle parking arrangement2.7.4 Parking management

Parking management by: Constructing pay parking buildings in office/business areas to remove on-road parking and parking maneuvering related traffic problems.

Leasing Government land (if available) to build and operate parking building on fixed term basis otherwise providing interest free loans for building car park on privately owned land.

Banning parking on delicate areas of road network and restricting all day long on-road parking at or near business/office areas.

Providing short term free/pay parking at different locations to facilitate business and office activity and introducing provision of parking fines for those who failed to comply with the rules.

Prohibiting on-road drop off and pick up near educational institutions and giving responsibility to educational institutions for arranging on site pick up/drop off area

Giving responsibilities to school authorities to motivate school kids to walk, use cycle and rickshaws as these trips are short (average length 3.5 km as per STP). This will help in reducing parking related congestion near school during peak hours.

Considering options for educational institutions to arrange mini/micro bus services for their students with proper on site pick up/drop off facilities. This will also help in reducing parking and pick up/drop off related congestion.

Encouraging and ensuring business entrepreneurs (hospitals, markets etc.) to arrange onsite parking facilities for their customers. Efficient traffic management and enforcement by

Giving responsibilities of traffic management to educational and business institutions for the traffic generated by their activities and failing to which they will be charged/ fined. This will reduce governments cost in traffic management and also increase awareness of traffic rules and regulations.

Introducing submission of traffic management plan to the relevant RCA - to be prepared by the school/business authority each year for their respective zone

Forming new section/division of traffic warden by school leavers/college graduates to manage Citys traffic system under each municipal ward. They can issue infringement notice to the vehicle owners/drivers for illegal parking/ breaking traffic laws. The police will go back to do other duties to improve law and order in the City.

Forming a Quick response team from the Police and Ansars who can help the wardens as and when required or in emergency.

Sharing cost of road improvement with nearby business, educational institute (example: adding turning lane or widening a small section of road etc. which are directly used by them).

Stopping unplanned growth/developments and introducing submission of proper traffic impact analysis for new developments as traffic generated from these developments are the major causes of congestion on the nearby road. Ensure the use of waterways by

Taking drastic action to recover all rivers and canals from illegal occupier and making them navigable.

Increasing number of water buses on each route with more new routes.

Implementing the plan for waterway development in the City for easy movement of goods and people.

Restoring all historic City canals and introducing cycle path/walk ways on the banks of these canals. This will in return give environmental and health benefits and improve water logging problems. Improvement of railway by

Recovering rail reserves (land) from the illegal users and planing for railway improvements

Rescheduling inter district trains in peak hours and operating small and frequent services ( say 3-6 car set train at 5-10 minutes interval within metropolitan area and 15/20 minutes intervals beyond metropolitan area) on all available routes up to nearby districts (Narayangonj, Gazipur, B.Baria) and constructing temporary small stations approximate 2/3km intervals in the metropolitan area

Grade separating the railway to ensure uninterrupted traffic flow at all major intersections (say yearly 2/3 intersections; using simple works/technology by lowering the rail and raising the road level or vice versa).

Installing new rail tracks for light rail/tram services. The tram lines can be planned and installed along the road as shared lane with cars. This will save time and money for land take (acquisition) and construction of tram lines. Modern low floor electric trams can give more benefit when operated.

Installing/constructing short distance train line and planning to connect them with future circular rail and may be installed on the median of wide road wherepossible.

Fig 2.7.4 - Examples of electric trams (high and low floor) sharing the road space with cars

Medium- Long Term and Long term Measures:

Medium to long term plans should be considered now to continue the short to mediumterm activities as discussed above for transport network improvement. This may includeimprovement of bus, rail, waterway and NMT system including construction of the roadsrecommended under the first phase of Strategic Transport Plan (STP for Dhaka).

2.7.5 Other Considerations

Other than this the following long term planning should be considered:

Plan an integrated multimodal transport network and construct/establish rail, road and river/canal communication as per plans (may be future metro rail, circular rail, BRT, water bus, improved NMT etc.)

Plan and install new rail facilities (light rail/tram) for local movements without interfering the existing inter-district rail operation.

Decentralize few administrative and business activities to reduce pressure on Dhaka in a planned way.

Relocate all industries from the city areas (say garments, leather etc).

Relocate cantonment and BDR head quarter away from the City and can be based at nearby districts. This democratic country doesnt need this type of installation in the capital - small headquarters may serve their needs.

Grade separate all major intersections based on the result of short/medium term actions.

Move out bus terminals from the city areas (Sydabad, Mohakhali, Gabtoli etc.) and introduce shuttle services to and from those terminals.

Plan and implement bypass roads to allow traffic from the Northern and Southern parts of the country to bypass Dhaka like Joydebpur to Dhaka Chittagong/ Sylhet Road and also upgrade it to four lanes based on the future traffic demand.

2.8 What is the purpose of transportation planning?The purpose of transportation planning is to fulfill goals by developing strategies to meet transportation needs. These strategies address current and future land use, economic development, traffic demand, public safety, health, and social needs. of Bangladesh.

A. Overall Goals B. Goal: Maintain the transportation system. System expansion should not occur until the existing system is maintained. Because resources are limited, it becomes necessary to prioritize transportation options. Expanding on the system at the expense of maintaining what already exists will cause decreased mobility in established areas.

Objective: To promote a protocol that considers preservation before expansion.

Action: Consider amending STP-Urban project selection criteria that rewards preservation activity.

Goal: Promote system efficiency. Work toward the efficient movement of people and goods through the use of multiple modes. Integrate modes to create a seamless system for multi-modal transportation.

Objective: To identify opportunities for establishing multimodal nodes in the region.

Action: Utilize recommendations from Busway West study to improve efficiency of current and future nodes of multimodal convergence.

Goal: Protect the environment. Transportation decisions must carefully consider the potential environmental impacts, before, during and after construction.

Objective: To review transportation proposals with more focus toward environmental effects. Action: Analyze mitigation activities for effectiveness. Action: Propose alternative Best Management Practices that promote natural solutions. Action: Capitalize on opportunities to combine transportation and environmental improvement projects.

Goal: Promote improved safety. Transportation projects should be aimed at increasing safety for all users, including bicyclists, pedestrians and motorists. Safety should focus on preventing fatalities and injuries more than general collision prevention. Objective: To emphasize safety in all elements of transportation planning and incorporate the consideration of the context in which a project is proposed for safety enhancements for all funding programs.

Action: Conduct safety audits for areas of high pedestrian activity. Action: Enact recommendations of CCRPA plans (CCPATH, Bus way West, Transit Development Plan) that address safety concerns.

Goal: Protect neighborhoods. Transportation facilities should not diminish neighborhood character and safety; roads should be viewed as places, part of the neighborhood, not a separate entity. Objective: To establish transportation systems in scale with the surrounding land uses. Action: Consider the context of land uses and human activity in review and development of transportation project proposals and planning products.

Goal: Enhance economic development. Transportation should be used to spur economic development, particularly in the downtown areas of the regions seven towns. Efficient transportation systems that are aesthetically pleasing can help spur economic development. Objective: To consider impacts on and opportunities for economic development in plans and projects. Action: Evaluate the economic development implications of plans, policies and projects. Action: Create a tool box of economic enhancement techniques for transportation facilities.

Goal: Encourage Sensible Land Use. Transportation and land use should remain compatible. Objective: To encourage pedestrian-oriented land use in downtown areas and discourage extending roadways to areas underserved by water and sewer. Action: Create a Regional Plan of Conservation and Development that is conscious of smart growth philosophies. Action: Collaborate with the communities of the region to enact policies and projects that do not induce sprawl development and that are context-sensitive.

B. Roads and Highways Goal: Achieve equity and efficiency in maintaining and improving the transportation system. Objective: To implement Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS). Action: Establish a regular traffic count and reporting system for the region. Objective: To address safety and efficiency issues at intersections. Action: Establish a regular intersection analyses and reporting system for the region. Action: Establish a regular review of intersection and midblock crosswalk operations for the region.

Goal: Analyze corridors and sub-areas as needed. Objective: To conduct a corridor study if necessary, Action: Discuss and determine need for corridor study with local leaders and other interested parties on Route 10 in Plainville and Southington; or Route 229 in Bristol and Southington, and work toward their initiation and completion.

Goal: Give full consideration to the use of roundabout intersections. While roundabouts are not widely used in Connecticut, they can be a preferred alternative to signalization due to motor vehicle traffic calming, safety and efficiency. Objective: To institute regular consideration of roundabouts in discussions and review of roadway alternatives. Action: Amend the STP-urban project selection process to include consideration of roundabouts. Action: Recommend review by Conn DOTs roundabout review committee of all intersection improvement proposals on state roads.

Goal: Assure that any cul-de-sac development maximizes non-motorized transportation linkage. Any cul-de-sac development should provide bicycle and pedestrian connectivity to schools, recreation, retail and adjoining neighborhoods and transportation networks, in order to foster healthy lifestyles and reduce automobile dependency and longer automobile trips. Objective: To institute regular consideration of pedestrian network connectivity in the regions review of subdivision proposals and regulations. Action: Initiate a regional review of subdivision regulations to encourage pedestrian network connectivity. Action: Incorporate review of pedestrian network connectivity in all subdivision site plan reviews by the CCRPA.

Goal: Monitor and address highly congested areas. Objective: To continue to monitor and analyze congested parts of the region and act to relieve congestion in a way that is sensitive to the surrounding neighborhoods and the environment. Action: Continue periodic and regularly scheduled travel time analyses for known and suspected congested routes for the Congestion Management Process (CMP).

C. Bridges Goal: Ensure safe and efficient bridges Objective: To establish the ability to monitor bridge conditions in the region. Action: Create a bridge conditions database utilizing state information and local reports, housed in the CCRPA GIS.

Goal: Ensure the integrity and preservation of the regions historic bridges Objective: To monitor conditions and promote recognition of historic bridges. Action: Monitor and report conditions of the railway tunnel (#4139, 1910) under Sylvan Hill in Plymouth, the Stanley Park Road C bridge (#5218, 1936) and the Stanley Quarter Park Road Bridge (#5217, 1925). Action: Alert state DOT and State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) of candidate bridges for historic recognition.

D. Fixed Route Public Transportation Goal: Improve the current standard and increase use of local public transportation service Objective: To use marketing to media sources as tools for increasing and improving service. oAction: Publish bus route maps in weekly newspapers such as Plainville Citizen, Berlin Citizen, and Bristol Observer.

Objective: To expand service to those areas in need. Action: Produce staff paper based on mapping of those particular areas in the region including densely populated areas, schools and large employment areas and high concentrations of people lacking automobile access.

Objective: To expand the service span. Because jobs now commonly are performed during non-traditional hours, service should run as early in the morning and late into the night as possible as well as on Sundays. This is of particular importance for Commuter Express routes, which only run during weekday peak hours. Action: Propose demonstration project with adjusted times. Objective: To utilize the New-Britain to Hartford Busway as the focal point of the regions public transportation system. Action: Install enhancements such as parking, crosswalk upgrades, and disabled pedestrian curb ramps to help increase Busway ridership. Action: Follow recommendations of Busway West study for adjustment of bus routes and schedules, and establishment of mini-hubs. Action: Promote Transit-Oriented Design (TOD) land use and zoning elements be established for stations and their immediate vicinity.

Objective: To optimize safety for all public transportation users. Action: Review safety threat record and potential of the current flag-down system versus regular station stops, especially in downtowns. Action: Identify inadequate and ADA noncompliant bus shelters for replacement. Action: Identify inadequate or nonexistent sidewalk networks along transit routes.

E. Transportation Services for the Elderly and Disabled (Paratransit) Goal: Maintain and, if necessary, improve the current standard of paratransit and elderly transportation. Objective: To propose recommendations for improving the system. Action: Within the Locally Coordinated Human Services Transportation Plan devise strategies to identify paratransit service area expansion to fund with New Freedom funds. Action: Continue to coordinate dial-a-ride services through the ADA Advisory Committee and local providers to provide better service with less overlap. Action: Encourage development of a regional Independent Transportation Network (ITN) based on the Portland model as supplementary to elderly transportation. Action: Advocate for better coordination between paratransit providers to provide interregional one-seat trips.

F. Rail Service Goal: Utilize existing infrastructure to maximize the ability to move people by rail. Objective: To become a link on the New Haven-Hartford-Springfield commuter rail line: Action: Work for implementation of the New Haven-Hartford-Springfield commuter rail line with a revitalized Berlin Depot. Action: Promote Transit-Oriented Design (TOD) land use and zoning elements be established for stations and their immediate vicinity. Objective: To consider the possibility of establishing additional commuter rail service. Action: Propose to Conn DOT to conduct a new feasibility study to investigate passenger rail service between Waterbury and Hartford along existing infrastructure.

Goal: Utilize existing infrastructure to maximize the ability to move goods through the region by rail. Objective: To develop a regional rail freight assessment, coordinated with ConnDOT, providers and Freight Advisory Committee of the Hartford Urbanized Area. Action: Request a formal feasibility study about the opportunities and obstacles presented by the east/west rail line in the region

G. Air Transportation Goal: Retain and preserve facilities for air transportation as important components of the region's transportation mix Objective: To encourage the viability of airports and helipads in the region. Action: Regularly maintain current airports and helipads and upgrade as necessary to encourage growth and ensure viability. Action: Work with Plainville and other interested parties to preserve and enhance the operations at Robertson Airport. Action: Request a feasibility study for upgrades to the Plymouth-Waterbury Airport.

H. Alternative Movement Goal: Increase the use of alternative transportation modes such as vanpooling, carpooling and Commuter Express bus routes to ease congestion in the region. Objective: To create incentives for alternative modes for commuters. Action: Establish a regional clearinghouse for commuter resources.

I. Bicycle Movement Goal: Establish cycling as a viable, safe and healthy alternative transportation option in the region. Objective: To provide safe and convenient facilities. Action: Promote inclusion of bicycle racks and lockers at bus stops and employers, since they encourage ridership by providing a secure place for users to store bicycles. Action: Create bicycle lanes in all developed areas. Bicycle lanes should be prevalent throughout the region so people have the option to use their bicycles for transportation to work and recreation. Whenever possible, bicycle lanes should be included in roadway projects as well as along the New Britain-to-Hartford Bus way. Action: Develop the transportation network in a way that is bicycle friendly. A grid network is much easier for bicycle travelers to navigate than a network of disjointed cul-de-sacs. Action: Reduce the amount of roadside debris through improved road maintenance. Action: Educate the driving public about the rights of bicyclists and educate bicyclists about the responsibilities of cycling. Action: Provide feeder bicycle road routes into all multi-use trails. Include a multi-use path on the Bus way, complete with feeder routes. Action: Coordinate regional actions with the Statewide Highway Safety Plan.

J. Pedestrian Movement Goal: Elevate pedestrian activity levels as a healthy alternative to driving Objective: To promote pedestrian mobility and safety. Action: Create and maintain an interconnected sidewalk network. Action: Review candidate sites for traffic calming measures or studies. Action: Study intersection and midblock crosswalks and signal/signage for safety and accessibility. Action: Add curb ramps to those crosswalks that lack them and move curb ramps where they are not placed safely. Many disabled individuals rely on curb ramps when crossing the street. Some ramps may be placed right on the corner (as opposed to slightly off the corner) causing the need for a disabled user to move into the line of motor vehicle traffic in order to finish crossing the street. Objective: To create a more comfortable, less intimidating pedestrian environment. Action: Add streets capping, traffic calming and place amenities such as trash cans and lighting to make walking more enjoyable and safer. Install No Turn on Red signs to assist pedestrians at busier intersections. Objective: To support the creation of pedestrian-oriented businesses that can be walked to by public transportation users. Action: Discourage development of automobile-oriented retail through establishment of Pedestrian Districts in zoning regulations in places such as downtown New Britain, downtown Bristol and Downtown Plainville, Terryville, Kensington and along with the New Britain-to-Hartford Bus way corridor.

K. Freight Goal: Incorporate freight movement issues and stakeholders in transportation planning and projects. Objective: To collaborate with freight stakeholders to address transportation system concerns. Action: Work with CRCOG and MRPA to support the Freight Advisory Committee as a communications line to the freight sector. Action: Continue to collaborate with CRCOG and MRPA on freight transportation planning activities for the Hartford Urbanized Area.

L. Travel Demand Management (TDM) Goal: Incorporate demand management strategies into the transportation planning process. Objective: To provide demand management strategies as alternatives or supplements to projects that are oriented to supply-side. Action: Amend STP-Urban project selection process to include suggestions for travel demand management strategies. Action: Offer TDM strategies for local road projects. Action: Consider TDM in all CCRPA planning products.

M. Congestion Management Goal: Continue program to regularly monitor and report on details of congestion in the region. Objective: To build a strong database of detailed elements of congestion on selected routes utilizing Geographic Positioning System (GPS) and Geographic Information System (GIS). Action: Continue travel time studies of Route 6, Route 10, and Route 229 to compile quantitative data to support recommendations. Action: Expand data coverage to Route 372 and consider other routes. Action: Augment travel time studies with intersection analyses for more complete dataset on roadway operations. Action: Support congestion mitigation alternatives such as telecommuting.

N. Environment and Historic Preservation

Goal: Develop awareness of impacts to the regions natural environment and historic heritage resulting from the CCRPAs transportation planning processes, projects and programs. Objective: To review regional planning processes, projects and programs for positive and negative impacts on the natural environment and historic heritage. Action: Consult with local, state and national agencies in the areas of environmental protection and historic preservation, in terms of transportation elements. Action: Address the transportation component of current planning initiatives, such as watershed management, agricultural viability, and historic preservation. Action: Support new technologies that save energy and reduce pollution such as fuel cell vehicles and green design for transportation facilities. O. Title VI of the 1964 Civil Rights Act and Environmental Justice Goal: Uphold the tenets of Title VI of Environmental Justice and the 1964 Civil Rights Act in CCPRA decision-making procedures and planning processes. Objective: To base transportation decisions upon regional need across a wide spectrum of the population, addressing mobility issues of low-income and minority groups. Action: Support the timely implementation of the New Britain-to-Hartford Busway. Action: Expand the EJ/Title VI criteria in the STP-Urban project selection process to include justification for inclusion or exclusion by the applicant (current policy requires only a staff review for EJ/Title VI elements). Objective: To establish communication with social service agencies. Action: Establish closer working relationships with these agencies to work toward a regional EJ/Title VI committee to help establish a system to quantify the benefits and burdens of transportation projects. Objective: To regularly monitor the needs of low-income and minority populations. Action: Establish a more visible and recognizable image in targeted neighborhoods in the region through direct communications and attendance at neighborhood organization meetings. Objective: Minimize adverse impacts upon the above-mentioned populations. Action: Assure an inclusive approach to the public process and communication with affected groups throughout the transportation adjustment process. Action: Develop effective measures of positive and negative impacts.

P. Safety Goal: Safety must be a foremost concern in all facets of transportation planning. Objective: To consider safety as a permanent element to all transportation planning, projects and programs. Action: Expand the safety section of the STP-Urban project selection process to include justification for project proposals which address safety. Action: Include safety discussions in all planning products of the CCRPA. Action: Initiate and coordinate the Safe Routes to Schools program in the region. Action: Conduct pedestrian and bicycle safety audits in the region. Action: Evaluate the feasibility of roundabouts for all intersection project proposals. Action: Collaborate with transit providers in addressing safety concerns of the fixed route bus system.

Q. Security Goal: The security of the transportation system must be integrated into planning processes. Objective: To include consideration of security threats in review of project development and planning recommendations. Action: Consider mitigation strategies to all perceived security threats within project proposals.

Chapter : ThreeChapter Title : Literature Review

CHAPTER 3: LITERATURE REVIEW3.1 Steps of transportation planningTransportation planning includes a number of steps: Monitoring existing conditions; Forecasting future population and employment growth, including assessing projected land uses in the region and identifying major growth corridors; Identifying current and projected future transportation problems and needs and analyzing, through detailed planning studies, various transportation improvement strategies to address those needs; Developing long-range plans and short-range programs of alternative capital improvement and operational strategies for moving people and goods; Estimating the impact of recommended future improvements to the transportation system on environmental features, including air quality; and Developing a financial plan for securing sufficient revenues to cover the costs of implementing strategies (TPCB, 2012).There are some functions which really important in planning process.Establish a setting:This is related to decision-making.Identify and evaluate alternative transportation improvement options:Use data and planning methods to generate and evaluate alternatives.Prepare and maintain Transportation Plan:Develop and update a long-range transportation plan which includes (1) mobility and access for people and goods, (2) efficient system performance and preservation, and (3) good quality of life.Develop a Transportation Improvement Program (TIP):Develop a short-range program of transportation improvements based on the long-range transportation planInvolve the public:Involve the general public and other affected constituencies in the four essential functions listed above.

Figure 1: The transportation planning process (TPCB, 2012).3.2 Relation between transportation planning and SustainabilityTransportation planning historically has followed the rational planning model of defining goals and objectives, identifying problems, generating alternatives, evaluating alternatives, and developing plans. Other models for planning include rational factor, transit oriented development, satisfying, incremental planning, organizational process, and political bargaining.However, planners are increasingly expected to adopt a multi-disciplinary approach, especially due to the rising importance of environmentalism. For example, the use of behavioural psychology to persuade drivers to abandon their automobiles and use public transport instead. The role of the transport planner is shifting from technical analysis to promoting sustainability through integrated transport policies (Southern, 2006). 3.3 Highway acts for BangladeshTraffic Jam in Dhaka City of Bangladesh:Dhaka is a mega city. More than twelve million people live here. Day by day the number is increasing and most part of Dhaka is badly affected by the population growth. More than 7 hundred thousand rickshaws ply the city road, but only 75 thousand have legal number. This huge number of rickshaws is creating traffic jam. From time to time attempts are made to reduce the number, but the initiative usually produces no results. The number of rickshaw pullers is huge. Almost there are no roads or street or lane free from traffic jam. Traffic jam is obstructing trade and commerce. Illegal parking is another reason for traffic jam. Cars, trucks and other vehicles are parked almost everywhere. Faulty traffic signaling systems, inadequate manpower and narrow road spaces and overtaking tendency of drivers create pro-longed traffic congestions and intensify sufferings of commuters keeping people motionless as well as creating suffocating condition in the streets. Also there are bus terminals not authorized by the traffic department and drivers do not go by traffic rules. VIP protocol maintaining is another reason for frequent traffic jams in the streets and divider problem in the citys different important roads also causes congestion. Besides, illegal car parking, and unplanned road excavating on the same road by Water and Sewer Authority (WASA), Dhaka Electric Supply Authority (DESA), telephone and telegraph agencies without any integration among them, is responsible for intolerable traffic jams. In any roundabout in Dhaka the plying CNG, rickshaw, bus, etc form multiple lines.

Fig 3.3 : Traffic jam seen in Motijheel Commercial area

G1.The Highways Act 1925 (Bengal Act III of 1925)The purpose of this Act is to have effective administrative control over Government highways and bridges as well as land within the Right Of Way (ROW) and to facilitate efficient management at the time of maintenance/construction of highways and related structures.

This Act came into force on the 1 July 1928 (vide notification No. 2c dated 6 June 1928) published in the Calcutta Gazette, 1928, Pt-1, p1278. Some amendments were made to this Act at different times from 1932 to 1974 but with no significant changes. Thenextchanges in the Act were covered by the The Highways (Amendment) Act 1994.Under Asian Development Bank assistance, the Highway Acts, Rules & its amendments etc. vis-a-vis the changes required were reviewed by the Road MaintenanceImprovement Project (RMIP) by a legislation consultant. A draft document for rules named, The Highways (Restricted Access Highways) Rules were prepared on 20 August 2000 to be made under the Highways Act 1925 which is awaiting consideration of the Government and legislation thereby (RHD, 2012).G2.The Administrative Tribunal Act, 1980

This is an Act to provide for establishment of Administrative Tribunals to exercise jurisdiction in respect of matters to or arising out of the terms &conditionsof the persons in the service of the Republic or any statutory public authority.

Certain procedures are to be followed while appealing to the Administrative Tribunal. The Tribunal may reject the incomplete application of the aggrieved person or give him opportunity toapplyagain fulfilling the requirements. The judgement of Tribunal Court will be made effective following the same procedure as under the Code of Civil procedure 1908 (Act of 1908).

G3.The Arbitration Act 1940

The Act enacts the law relating to international commercial arbitration, reorganization and enforcement of foreign arbitral award and other arbitration.

G4.Acquisition and Requisition of Immovable Property Manual, 1982

There are 8 (eight) chapters in this manual which comprises of procedures, forms required to be completed and certificates required to be furnished when submitting a proposal for acquisition/requisition of immovable property.

The main Ordinance/Acts/Rules in this connection are: -1. The Acquisition and Requisition of Immovable Property Ordinance, 1982.2. The Acquisition of Immovable Property Rules 1982.3.The Requisition of Immovable Property Rules 1982.4. The Emergency Requisition of Property Act 1948.5. The Emergency Requisition of Property Rules 1948.6. The Acquisition and Requisition of Immovable Property (Amendment) Act, 1994.7. The Chittagong Hill-tract (land Acquisition) Regulation, 1958.8. Jamuna Multi-Purpose Bridge Project (Land Acquisition) Act, 1995 (RHD, 2012).

G5.General Information on Annual Confidential Report (ACR)

The Annual Confidential Report (ACR ) is a part of the dossier of an Officer under the administrative control of the Ministry/ Division/ Department. The ACR Form No.1 , which is divided into 10 parts, is used for writing the ACR of Class 1 Gazetted officers and maintained in the Ministry. The ACR for Class III & IV staff are maintained on a separate form and kept in the Chief Engineer's office or in departmental offices as otherwise directed by the Chief Engineer. Generally, the ACR is written once in a calendar year in the month of January.

The objectives are

1. To ensure accountability in the service2. To prepare cumulative performance records of officers3. To take action in order to improve their capability/performance4. To take decisions for promotion, transfer, training and matters related to the staff (RHD, 2012)

G6.Order for Replacement of Bangladesh Form No.2911

The new RHD Conditions of Contract and Tender Documents were approved by the Government in September 2001, with a Government Order being issued at that time for these documents to replace Form No. 2911.

G7.Bangladesh Allocation Rules 1982

The rules cover the entitlement of Government servants employed in the Ministry, Division and attached Departments to accommodation (Government residence). Persons employed in sub-ordinate offices of a Ministry may be made eligible for accommodation under specific order of the Government (RHD, 2012).

G8.The Official Secrets Act. 1923:

The rules under this Act are applied, when a person is involved in any activity against the interest of the Government/Department and indulges in subversive or anti-state practices. If it is found, or sufficient evidence exists, that a person has passed outside any official secret code, passwords, documents or information without proper authority, they are liable to be accused under this Act.Any person if found to be guilty for such offences may undergo imprisonment or fine or both, and even conviction for life imprisonment or a death sentence.

G9.The Secretariat Instructions 1976

In the absence of proper co-ordination, procedures and allocation of work in the offices of the Secretariat during the early years of Independence, the Ministry of Establishment published the Secretariat Instructions as per the provisions in the Rules of Business. The main objective was to overcome the shortfall in the availability of procedures, systems, instructions etc. required to perform the work effectively and to accomplish good governance over the Government business at various levels in the Secretariat (RHD, 2012).

3.4 Transport Model in UKIn the United Kingdom transport planning has traditionally been a branch of civil engineering. In the 1950s and 1960s it was generally believed that the motor car was an important element in the future of transport as economic growth spurred on car ownership figures. The role of the transport planner was to match motorway and rural road capacity against the demands of economic growth. Urban areas would need to be redesigned for the motor vehicle or else impose traffic containment and demand management to mitigate congestion and environmental impacts. These policies were popularized in a 1963 government publication, Traffic in Towns. The contemporary speed Report on congestion pricing was initially promoted to manage demand but was deemed politically unacceptable. In more recent times this approach has been caricatured as "predict and provide" to predict future transport demand and provide the network for it, usually by building more roads.The publication of Planning Policy Guidance 13 in 1994 (revised in 2001), followed by A New Deal for Transport in 1998 and the white paper Transport Ten Year Plan 2000 again indicated an acceptance that unrestrained growth in road traffic was neither desirable nor feasible. The worries were threefold: concerns about congestion, concerns about the effect of road traffic on the environment (both natural and built) and concerns that an emphasis on road transport discriminates against vulnerable groups in society such as the poor, the elderly and the disabled .These documents reiterated the emphasis on integration: integration within and between different modes of transport integration with the environment integration with land use planning integration with policies for education, health and wealth creation.This attempt to reverse decades of underinvestment in the transport system has resulted in a severe shortage of transport planners. It was estimated in 2003 that 2,000 new planners would be required by 2010 to avoid jeopardizing the success of the Transport Ten Year Plan (Hull, 2005).3.4.1 HIGHWAY ACT IN UK:There are some highway acts of United Kingdom which has been planned and developed according to the situation and for better outcome. These are given below:3.4.1.1 Highways Act 1555:TheHighways Act 1555, sometimes theFirst Statute of Highways, was anAct of Parliamentof theParliament of Englandpassed in 1555 (and extended by the Highways Act 1562). It placed the burden of upkeep of thehighwayson individualparishes.The Act was originally in force for seven years, but its provisions were extended to run for another twenty years by theHighways Act 1562. It was repealed by section 57 of the Act 7 (Tanner, 1951).3.4.1.2 Highways Act 1562:TheHighways Act 1562, sometimes theSecond Statute of Highways, was anAct of Parliamentof theParliament of Englandpassed in 1563. The Act extended the provisions of theHighways Act 1555, by which every householder of a parish had to provide four days labour in a year on the highways, for a further twenty years, and made the requirement six days labour rather than four. Supervisors of highway work were empowered to take debris from quarries and dig for gravel without permission of the landowners. The Act also empoweredPeace atQuarter Sessionsto investigate and punish supervisors in cases where they were in dereliction of their duties, imposing "such fines ... as shall be thought meet".It was repealed by section 57 of the Act 7 Geo.3 c.42 (Tanner, 1951).3.4.1.3 Highways Act 1880:TheHighways Act 1980(1980 c.66) is anActof theParliament of the United Kingdomdealing with the management and operation of the road network in England and Wales. It consolidated with amendments several earlier pieces of legislation. Many amendments relate only to changes ofhighway authority, to include new unitary councils and National Parks. By virtue of theLocal Government (Wales) Act 1994and theEnvironment Act 1995, most references tolocal authorityare taken to also include Welsh councils andnational park authorities. By virtue of theNational Assembly for Wales (Transfer of Functions) Order 1999most references to 'the Minister' are taken to include theNational Assembly for Wales. The Act is split into 14 parts covering 345 sections; it also includes 25 schedules (Government, UK, 2012).

3.4.1.4 Highways Act 1835:Highway Act 1835is anAct(citation 5 & 6 Will. IV c. 50) of theParliament of the United Kingdom. The Highway Act 1835 placeshighwaysunder the direction ofparish surveyors, and allows them to pay for the costs involved byrateslevied on the occupiers of land. The surveyor's duty is to keep the highways in repair, and if a highway is out of repair, the surveyor may be summoned before the courts and ordered to complete the repairs within a limited time. The surveyor is also charged with the removal of nuisances on the highway. A highway nuisance may be abated by any person, and may be made the subject of indictment at