[rts] Re: Week 2 - some comments to Week 1 conclusions

[Ejames1 at worldbank.org]

There are too many constraints on both the demand and supply side for it to take
off.   On the demand side, I think you are really confronted with the poor image
of Non Motorized Transport (NMT) and the lack of Government desire to push it as
a strategy.  It is not really a question of ethics; it is a desire to modernize
(translation: motorize) immediately regardless of cost . However,  in
Nicaragua's defense, there is a lack of supply of suitable roads for NMT.  On
asphalted roads, travel speeds and vehicle volumes are too high to encourage
pedicabs etc ;  they are similarly discouraged by the awful condition of gravel
roads.  This situation won't change until there is an extensive  network of
adoquine roads which could support low speed NMT modes that link secondary
towns.

Nicaragua is lucky to even have prospects for NMT because of its predominantly
rolling to flat terrain.  I am not so sure about NMT in Guatemala with its very
mountainous terrrain.

Tony