The Project for the Strategic Urban Development Plan of the Greater Yangon Final Report I 2.3.2 Road Network (1) Road Network in the Greater Mekong Subregion and Myanmar 1) Asian Highway in Myanmar and Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) Greater Yangon is connected with its neighboring GMS countries through the Asian Highways (AH), as shown in Figure 2.3.23. The four routes crossing the national border are designated as parts of the Asian Highway in Myanmar. These four routes also partly overlap with the three economic corridors in GMS, namely, the Western Economic Corridor (AH-1) to Kun Ming in China, the East-West Economic Corridor to Da Nang in Vietnam, and the Southern Economic Corridor to Bangkok and Ho Chi Minh City. Source: JICA Study Team Figure 2.3.23: Economic Corridors in GMS to/from Yangon NIPPON KOEI CO., LTD., NJS CONSULTANTS CO., LTD. YACHIYO ENGINEERING CO., LTD., INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT CENTER OF JAPAN, ASIA AIR SURVEY CO., LTD., and ALMEC CORPORATION 2-226 The Project for the Strategic Urban Development Plan of the Greater Yangon Final Report I Table 2.3.13 provides the detailed route information and functions of the Asian Highways in Myanmar. Table 2.3.13: Asian Highway Routes in Myanmar Length Route No. Origin and Destination in Myanmar Function (km) Myawadi (Thailand Border) – Thaton – Phayargy – -Capital Cities Linkage AH-1 Meiktila – Mandalay – Pale – Gangaw – Kalaymyo – 1,554 -Industrial/Agricultural Tamu (Indian Border) Centers Phayagy – Bago – Yangon 96 -Access to Main Ports -Capital Cities Linkage AH-2 Tacheleik (Thailand Border) – Kyaing Tong – Meiktila 807 -Industrial/Agricultural Centers -Industrial/Agricultural AH-3 Minela (China Border) – Kyaing Tong 93 Centers -Industrial/Agricultural AH-14 Musai (China Border) – Larshio – Mandalay 453 Centers -Access to Main Ports Total (4 Routes) 3,003 Source: Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, Japan, Original Source: Asian Highway Database 2005 The present conditions of the Asian Highway in Myanmar (3,003 km in total length) are summarized in Table 2.3.14 below. The sections with two or more lanes of paved road are only 49% of the total, and the sections with one lane of paved or unpaved (gravel/earth) road are 51% (see Table 2.3.14). In addition, almost all sections of main roads paved with asphalt have deteriorated due to the passing of heavy trucks. Therefore, it is necessary to expand one-lane sections, to pave the gravel sections, and to carry out maintenance works of paved roads. Table 2.3.14: Condition of Asian Highway in Myanmar Paved Unpaved Route No. Total Length Two lanes One lane Gravel Earth (km) or more AH-1 1,650 969 467 214 AH-2 807 50 541 216 AH-3 93 5 40 48 AH-14 453 453 Total 3,003 1,472 1,013 470 48 (%) (100.0%) (49.0%) (33.7%) (15.7%) (1.6%) Source: Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, Japan Original Source: Asian Highway Database 2005 2) Road Network in Myanmar The total length of intercity roads in Myanmar under the Ministry of Construction (MOC) (Public Works Department) is 39,083 km. The road lengths by surface type are as shown in Table 2.3.15 below. More than 50% of the roads are still unpaved. Figure 2.3.24 shows the road network in the entire country. Table 2.3.15: Road Length and Surface Type of Intercity Road Network under MOC (2012) Road Classification Concrete Bituminous Gravel Metalled Earth Road Donkey Total Highway 612 11,733 2,441 2,700 1,974 44 19,503 Regional and State Roads 50 5,452 3,300 2,941 6,497 1.340 19,580 661 17,185 5,740 5,642 8,471 1,384 39,083 Total (1.7%) (44.0%) (14.7%) (14.4%) (21.7%) (3.5%) (100%) Source: Department of Public Works, MOC NIPPON KOEI CO., LTD., NJS CONSULTANTS CO., LTD. YACHIYO ENGINEERING CO., LTD., INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT CENTER OF JAPAN, ASIA AIR SURVEY CO., LTD., and ALMEC CORPORATION 2-227 The Project for the Strategic Urban Development Plan of the Greater Yangon Final Report I Source: JICA Study Team Figure 2.3.24: Road Network in Myanmar The Yangon-Nay Pyi Taw-Mandalay Expressway (520 km) opened in 2009. It has two lanes each for one direction (total of four lanes), and the speed limit is at 100 km/h. At present, heavy trucks are not allowed to use this expressway. 3) Linkage Between the Nationwide Road Network and Greater Yangon The gateways to the nationwide road network from Greater Yangon are shown in Figure 2.3.25. The main roads located at the gateways are as follows: i) Yangon-Mandalay Expressway (to Nay Pyi Taw and Mandalay) ii) Union Highway No. 1 and No. 2 (to Nay Pyi Taw and Mandalay) iii) Main Road No. 3 (to Nay Pyi Taw and Mandalay via Union Highway No. 1) NIPPON KOEI CO., LTD., NJS CONSULTANTS CO., LTD. YACHIYO ENGINEERING CO., LTD., INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT CENTER OF JAPAN, ASIA AIR SURVEY CO., LTD., and ALMEC CORPORATION 2-228 The Project for the Strategic Urban Development Plan of the Greater Yangon Final Report I iv) Union Highway No. 4 (to Pyay) v) Main Road No. 5 (to Pathem in Ayeyarwaddy Region) Union Highway No. 4 to Pyay Expressway to Nay Pyi Taw Union Highway No. 1 to Nay Pyi Taw Main Road No. 5 to Pathem Main Road No. 2 Source: JICA Study Team Figure 2.3.25: Gateways to Nationwide Road Network Of these gateway roads, Union Highway No. 1 is one of the most important backbone roads which connect Nay Pyi Taw and Mandalay with Greater Yangon. (2) Road Network in Greater Yangon Roads are the most dominant mode of urban transportation in Yangon City. Roads cover 95% of all inland passenger traffic (refer to Figure 2.3.25 above). The history of the road network in Yangon City is intertwined with the history of the city itself and its port activities. There was an old road network surrounding Shwe Dagon Pagoda which was rebuilt in 1572 and Sule Pagoda. The town was located to the east of Sule Pagoda. The Bago River was silting up off Thanlyin NIPPON KOEI CO., LTD., NJS CONSULTANTS CO., LTD. YACHIYO ENGINEERING CO., LTD., INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT CENTER OF JAPAN, ASIA AIR SURVEY CO., LTD., and ALMEC CORPORATION 2-229 The Project for the Strategic Urban Development Plan of the Greater Yangon Final Report I and sea vessels had difficulty in navigating the reaches opposite the town. Thus, Dagon (renamed to “Yangon” in 1775) became the main port. After the war with the British in 1852, Dr. William Montgomery, Superintendent Surgeon of the British Troops, made a new city plan with grid-patterned streets based on a road which ran along the port (currently called “Strand Road”). Then, Lieutenant A. Fraser had been assigned the design task based on Dr. Montgomery’s plan. The main roads were given names from eminent personnel and the minor roads were numbered. The main roads running parallel from west to east include Strand Road, Merchant Road, Dalhousie (Maha Bandoola) Road, Fraser (Anawrahta) Road, and Montgomery (Bogyoke Aung San) Road. World War II left great damage to Yangon City, particularly to the road network and its drainage system, and this led to a massive influx of refugees into the city. These people squatted on public land such as on roads and sidewalks. In order to accommodate the massive population, Yangon City was extended to the west by three 100-feet roads, three 50-feet roads and twenty-two 30-feet roads, and to the east by three 50-feet roads and twenty-two 30-feet roads. The suburbs of Kyimyindaing, Ahlone, Pazundaung, Yegyaw, Myaynigone, Kamayut were incorporated into the town and Voyle Road (U Wisara Road) was added as another northward road to Prome Road (Pyay Road). 1) Current Road Network Hierarchy Roads are classified into some types by MOC, as shown in Table 2.3.16. Table 2.3.16: Road Classification Road Functions and Design ROW Cross Section Speed Classification Features (m) Elements (km/h) Provide metropolitan and city continuity and unity. Limited access: some 3.6 m per lane, 2.4-3.0 Expressways channelized grade crossing 45-90 m shoulders, 2.4-7.2 m 80 and signal at major median strip intersection. Parking prohibited. Provide unity through contiguous urban areas. Usually from boundaries Minimum four lanes; Major Roads 30-45 56-72 for neighborhoods. Minor 1.8-4.2 m median strip access control; parking generally prohibited. Main feeder streets. Signals where needed; [email protected] m or [email protected] m stop signs on side streets. Secondary Roads 24-30 traffic lanes; 56-64 Occasionally from [email protected] m parking lanes boundaries from neighborhoods. Main interior streets. Stop [email protected] m traffic lanes; Collector Streets 18-24 48 sign on side streets. [email protected] m parking lanes Local service streets. [email protected] m traffic Local Streets Nonconductive to through 12-18 40 lanes traffic. Street open at only one 9 end, with provision for a Cul-de-sac (27 m dia. practical turnaround at the turnaround) other. Source: Regulation of DHSHD, Ministry of Construction, Sep. 2010 NIPPON KOEI CO., LTD., NJS CONSULTANTS CO., LTD. YACHIYO ENGINEERING CO., LTD., INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT CENTER OF JAPAN, ASIA AIR SURVEY CO., LTD., and ALMEC CORPORATION 2-230 The Project for the Strategic Urban Development Plan of the Greater Yangon Final Report I Although the Yangon City Development Committee’s (YCDC’s) classification is based on the road width and number of lanes, the functions of each road are defined as follows: i) Main Road: Connects major cities and towns with paved type links ii) Collector Road: Secondary paved roads connecting with cities/towns with main roads iii) Minor Road: Other roads connecting towns Major roads in Yangon City are listed in Table 2.3.17 and are illustrated in Figure 2.3.26.