Yangon Traffic Jams

Sea of Cars

Every morning I walk to the bus stop and I take (2) buses to work. Along the way I see many cars, powered by petrol and natural gas. As I look at sea of cars, I was thinking that how come we have so many cars choked up all Yangon streets. Too much stop and go making it slow for car riders, exhausting, uncomfortable situation, wear and tear on human and machines everyday, not great at all. I used to live in Los Angeles for last (20) years and I worked as a driver, so of course; I have seen some of worst traffic jams anytime anywhere. But US produce big oil and gas, they make cars and they have established best freeway systems of the world. My country is not a car manufacturer, not oil producer and we still do not have freeways in town. Plus in some areas, we have ‘lazy’ traffic lights in service. I have seen it those kinds of traffic control systems in rural underdeveloped discriminated regions in US, especially around Indian reservations

Train systems also need to improve, cleanliness, discipline of train stations, surrounding areas along railroad tracks and all these trains and locomotives fitness. Water bus (shuttle between Bo Ta Htaung jetty, Nan ThiDar jetty, Mawtin jetty, KyiMyinDine jetty, Insein jetty, Hlaing TherYar jetty) systems will take some time to be effective. It is still very slow, it takes time especially when boat drops off and picking up passengers at jetty. I guesstimate Yangon is too saturated to build underground subway system. Things gonna get worse and worse in coming years to dig up al tunnels for UG train system. I was involved in building of Los Angeles first subway system, Metro Red Line, not that easy as it looks with this land prices. The best solution is car pooling (aka bus system), curb import of foreign cars