The Transportation Policy Program - MITI HQ

1. Colombo City, Sri Lanka,
Introduction of one way traffic as solution
to Traffic & Transportation Issues
Manjula Kularathna
Traffic & Transportation
Engineer
Colombo Municipal Council
Srii Lanka

2.  Sri Lanka
◦ Population 20.15 millions
◦ Area 65,110 km2
◦ GDP per capita is 3,280
◦ GDP growth rate is around 7.5
◦ Inflation 5%
 City of Colombo
◦ Area -3,731 hectares
◦ Resident population - 650,000
◦ Floating population -1,500,000
◦ Road Network - 480 km
◦ Road Density-12%

3. Transportation in Brief
 Present Transport Modes and Model Share
 Park & Ride system were introduce one of the main corridor
and it was not succeeded up to now various restraints
 incurs a huge economic loss of around Rs. 40 billion annually
due to road traffic congestion and air pollution
Mode Vehicle Kms
Operated (mn)
Passenger Kms
Carried (mn)
Ton Kms
Carried (mn)
Bus 966 (08%) 45,407 (68%)
Private Vehicles 7,861 (64%) 15,831 (24%)
Railways 11 (00%) 3,600 (5%) 102 (02%)
Three Wheelers 1,548 (13%) 1,161 (2%)
Lorry/Land Veh 1,813 (15%) . 907 (1%) 4,532 (97%)
Water Transport 3 (00%) 32 (01%)

4. Background of the one
traffic system in Colombo
 The Travel speed had reduced
less than 10km/h during peak
hours in congested area.
 One way system was introduced
in highly congested area
 In 1996 initiated one way loop of
5km in the central part of city
 In 1998, two major arterials of
10km made one way with Bus
Priority lane
 In 2013, another loop of 8km one
way introduced in most
congested area in the city.
 In 2014, trials has also been
conducted to extend the one way
and planned to commence on
May 2014
 Studies are being conducted for

5. Benefits in the system
 Increase Travel Speed, travel time although travel
distance increases sometimes
 additional road space that has been created by the
uni flow can be used for public transport, pedestrian
facilities, non-motorists and parking, landscaping.
 Bus Priority lanes on one way roads reduce travel
time of road passengers.
 Less or no conflict movements at junctions, no
intersection control traffic signals are required

6. Issues faced and measures taken
issue measure
Walking distance of the public
transport users increased
Proper arrangement of bus
routes, stops
Improve the walkability on streets
Fragmentation of bus services, Proper arrangement of bus
routes, stops
Poor awareness of the uses
regarding systems and where to
turn to go destination
Provide information signs where
necessary
Increasing of traffic floor on some
residential roads
Traffic calming measures and
regulatory signs
Difficulty of cross the roads with
speed increases
Provide Traffic signalized
pedestrian facilities
Change of two way road
infrastructures to one way
Commence the system with
minimum alterations and develop
full infrastructure at the
rehabilitation

7. Present Status & issues to be
addresed
 55km road length (11% of city
roads)has already been arranged as
one way roads.
 there is no proper ‘before and after’
study
 no proper survey on public perception,
 no proper consultation with other
stakeholders
 no proper cost benefit analysis.
 Regulations are to be revised to have
proper legal frame work for specially
signage and rules

8. Recommendations
 Uniflow traffic systems is a good
measure for the traffic & transportation
issue in areas where roads are in
close proximity to each other, where
making roads one-way will decrease
both distance travelled and time taken
for travel