NEGOMBO GROWTH AREA TRANSPORT STUDY Dr. Amal S. Kumarage Genevieve Connors June 26, 2000 1 Table of Contents 1. INTRODUCTION 2. BACKGROUND TRANSPORT PROPOSALS & DATA COLLECTION 3. TRANSPORT SECTOR ANALYSIS ( Chapter 06) 4. TRANSPORT SECTOR PROPOSALS ( Chapter 16) 2 List of Tables 2.1 Anticipated Growth Rates for Transport in CMR 2.2 Pedestrian Flows in Negombo Town per 12 hours 2.3 Intersection Flows (Total vehicles per hour) 2.4 Travel Times and Average Speeds on Major Roads 2.5 Demand for Parking in Negombo Town per 12 hours 2.6 Interviews for OD Matrices 2.7 Bus and Bus Passenger Counts in (12 hours 2.8 Motor Vehicles Licensed in NGSC area by type of vehicle 2.9 Socio-Economic Indicators 3.1 Flows, Travel Speed and Modal Shares on the A3 Corridor 3.2 Traffic Composition on A3 Highway 3.3 Trip Purposes A3 3.4 Private Bus Trips from Averiwatte Bus Stand 3.5 Estimated Link Flows on Selected Road Links 3.6 Intersection Flows 3.7 Traffic Composition on Regional Highways 3.8 Licenses issued by Vehicle Type, 1998 (Percentage of Vehicle Fleet) 3.9 Analysis of Modal Share of Public Transport (Boardings from Negombo) 3.10 Traffic Composition on Roads in Negombo Town Area 3.11 Intersection Flows in Negombo Town Area 3.12 Accidents in Negombo Police Division, 1996-2000 3.13 Daytime Bicycle Demand by Traffic Time 3.14 Bicycle Traffic Volumes by Street over 24 hrs 3.15 Daily Bus Passenger Movements in Negombo 3.16 Bus Routes and Passenger Volumes 4.1 Provision of Off Street Parking Lots 3 4.2 Future Intersection Flows (Vehicles per Hour) 4 LIST OF FIGURES 2.1 Proposed Inter-Regional Transport Axis 2.2 High Mobility Corridors in CMR 2.3 Links and Intersections in Negombo Town Road Network 2.4 Road Network of NGCSA 2.5 Bus Routes in Negombo 2.6 Survey Locations 3.1 Passenger Flows with Distance on A3 3.2 Historic Passenger Movements at BIA, 1990-97 3.3 Historic Freight and Mail Movements at BIA, 1990-97 3.4 Tourist Arrivals at BIA, 1970-1998 3.5 Hotel Locations and Development Strategies Proposed in the CTB Study 3.6 Transport Facilities for the KEPZ 3.7 Photo- Averiwatte Bus Stand at Katunayake 3.8 Photo- Averiwatte Bus Stand at Katunayake 3.9 Proposed Trace of CKE and Southern Highway 3.10 Photo- Baseline Road Column 3.11 Road Linkages in the NGCSA 3.12 Travel Time Contours for BIA/ KEPZ 3.13 Present One-Hour Travel Time Contour for Negombo Town 3.14 Features of Negombo Town Road Network 3.15 Photo- Narrow Talduwa Road 3.16 Photo- Coppara Junction 3.17 Photo- Green’s Road and St Joseph’s Street Junction 3.18 Photo- Railway crossing at Main Street 3.19 Photo- Corridor Blocking at Lellama Fish Market 3.20 Photo- Morning School Traffic down Sea Street 3.21 Photo- On Street Parking on Sea Street 5 3.22 Photo- Former Parking Lot, Now Shopping Complex 3.23 Hourly Parking Demand in Negombo Centre 3.24 Photo- No Pedestrian Sidewalks in Town Centre 3.25 Photo- Inadequate Facilities for Pedestrians and Cyclists 3.26 Pedestrian Counts over 12-hour period, Negombo Town Centre 3.27 Bicycle Demand by Traffic Time for Negombo Town 3.28 Photo- Passengers Waiting for Bus in Town Centre 3.29 Photo- Hawkers encroaching on ANMF Mawatha opposite Bus Stand 3.30 Bus Storage at the Negombo Stand 3.31 Photo- Waiting area in Negombo Bus Stand 3.32 Photo- Passengers alighting in Bus Stand Parking Area 3.33 Photo- Hamilton Canal at St Sebastian Bridge 3.34 Photo- Hamilton Canal at Main Street 3.35 Photo- Unloading of fish in Negombo Lagoon 3.36 Photo- Negombo Docks in State of Disrepair 4.1 Road Improvements to Provide for Proposed Economic Zone 4.2 KEPZ and Transport Linkages 4.3 Proposed North South Highway 4.4 Regional Railroad Improvements Proposed 4.5 Traffic Circulation Plan for Negombo Town 4.6 Proposed Parking Areas in Negombo Town 4.7 Bicycle Paths in Negombo Town 4.8 Orbital Route Proposed for Negombo Town 4.9 Photo- Bridge at St. Sebastian’s Crossing 4.10 Development Of Lewis Place 6 7 CHAPTER 1 : INTRODUCTION The Urban Development Authority (UDA) was the primary Government body engaged in preparing the Negombo Growth Center Detailed Development Plan. The project was put to tender by the UDA in 1999, and was subsequently undertaken as a planning consultancy by Bulankulame Associates, Urban and Regional Planners, in conjunction with DPM Consultants and AMC Architects of Singapore. Dr. Amal Kumarage of the University of Moratuwa was asked to serve as transport consultant for the project, and to undertake a study and recommend growth strategies for the transport requirements of the Negombo region. He was assisted by Ms. Genevieve Connors. This transport study is the result of this undertaking. The duration of the entire project was March to September 2000. 1.1 Background & Objectives One of the strategies of the 1998 Colombo Metropolitan Regional Structure Plan (CMRSP) is to develop seven Growth Centers in the region that were identified during the course of that study. Seeking to curb the haphazard manner of current urban sprawl in the CMR, the Structure Plan articulates strategies and action plans to overcome these problems. One of the main strategies advocated is the idea of spatial development as a catalyst for economic development. The development of the seven growth centers is the main articulation of this spatial strategy. One of the second order centers identified by the CMRSP is the region surrounding the urban agglomerations of Negombo and Katunayake. This is referred to as the Negombo Growth Center Study Area (NGCSA). Situated in the northwest corner of the CMR 28 km. to the north of Colombo, it is well connected to the Colombo economy. This is due in part to the presence of the airport and the Katunayake Export Processing Zone as well as the CMR’s most important fishing center. With vast additional resources such as agricultural lands, building materials, beaches and lagoons, the success of Negombo as a growth centre is an important opportunity and vital to the overall development of the CMR. The CMRSP further proposes that in the future, the region be connected to the North South Highway to increase accessibility to Colombo as well as to the other growth centers. The region’s own proposed functions would primarily depend on industrial activity, tourism, high-density residential areas and airport-related development. In 1999, the UDA embarked on the process of developing detailed growth center plans by putting the planning process out to tender. Bulankulame Associates, et al., who have brought together and coordinated an entire team of specialists, have undertaken the Negombo Growth Centre Study. The objective is to prepare a detailed development plan for the NGCSA within the framework of proposals made in the CMRSP. The total extent of the study area is 10,500 ha., of which nearly 4,000 ha. are available for development. The primary issues concern the two main urban areas of Negombo and Katunayake developing in an unplanned manner with 8 insufficient infrastructure facilities leading to environmental degradation and social problems. This particular report compiles the work undertaken by the transport team and is here presented as a stand-alone report for the transport requirements of the region. In its original form, it is but a part of the overall development plan for the NGCSA, which includes economic, land use, environmental, physical and social infrastructure, and architectural guidelines, strategies and designs. 1.2 Scope of Work As per the Terms of Reference given by the UDA (Annex I) and developed by Bulankulame Associates, the scope of the transport study has been defined as follows: (A) Previous Reports • Consultants are required to study all previous reports with respect to transport plans for the region, including but not limited to the CMRSP (B) Field Studies & Surveys • Carry out field investigations to form a clear understanding of existing development, the potentials, constraints and linkages to the CMR • Conduct necessary surveys such as traffic counts & pedestrian surveys (C) Roads • Work in coordination with local authorities • Have a thorough knowledge of existing conditions, on-going projects, and future proposals • Formulate future distribution networks, capacities, management proposals and cost estimates for new projects as well as priorities (D) Traffic & Transport Management (including Buses and Railways) • Analyze necessary surveys and studies to determine existing journey patterns and mobility • Determine the present problems and recommend solutions • Consider future land use patterns, and future traffic and transport requirements • Coordinate with other responsible individuals and organizations • Consider present and future traffic flows on an intra and inter regional basis • Recommend integrated projects to improve the level of service by way of a better system, modes, technologies, new highways, new links and new traffic management 9 • Present a project list with preliminary cost estimates according to priority and time duration 1.3 Study Team The transport study team was led by Dr. Amal S. Kumarage, Senior Lecturer in Civil Engineering at the University of Moratuwa, Head of Transport Engineering Division. He was assisted by Ms. Genevieve Connors, Assistant Planner and Ms. Pradeepa Jayaratne, Technical Officer at the University of Moratuwa. Further contributions were made by graduate students in transportation engineering at the University, including Ravindra Wijesundera and Namalie Sirisoma with regards to intersections and bus services respectively. 10 CHAPTER 2 : BACKGROUND 2.1. Review of Studies on Transport Several transport sector studies have been carried out for the CMR in the last few years.