Outline of the Project

Project Name

Project on Sustainable Urban and Transport Management in Luang Prabang

Subject

Transportation

Country

Laos

Date R/D Signed

2022/10/24

Term of Cooperation

Feb. 20, 2023 to Feb. 27, 2026

Implementing Organization

• Department of Transport (DOT), Ministry of Public Works and Transport (MPWT)
• Department of Public Works and Transport, Luang Prabang Province (DPWT)

Background

Luang Prabang is a city in northern Lao People's Democratic Republic, with a remarkably well-preserved historic townscape that was inscribed as UNESCO World Heritage in 1995. Luang Prabang is one of the leading tourist attractions in Lao People's Democratic Republic, and the number of tourists increased from about 62,000 to over 860,000 between 1997 and 2019, an increase of nearly 13 times in about two decades. Although tourists hardly visited Luang Pranag in the past few years due to the COVID-19 pandemic related restrictions, the number of tourists will be likely to recover to the level of pre-COVID-19 as travel restrictions are lifted.

Luang Prabang is in transition, where several regionally-significant projects are changing the urban structures within and around the city. These projects include the Lao-China Railway operational from December 2021, and other planned projects such as an expressway from Vientiane to China, a new bridge across the Mekong River connecting Luang Prabang and Chompet, and Luang Prabang Special Economic Zone. Collectively, these projects may influence both land use and development patterns, as well as mobility patterns and the number of visitors to Luang Prabang. The historic city of Luang Prabang is facing critical urban challenges with unprecedented development pressures on the urban center as well as urban periphery with continuous increases in population, tourists, and economic activities.

Limited mobility options and traffic management encourage motorbikes and driving, creating problems such as traffic congestion, illegal parking, and road safety issues. Significant population and tourism growth as well as new land developments result in higher demand for travel and strains on the existing system that exacerbate transport problems.

In this context, Luang Prabang urgently needs to build capacity of key actors engaging in urban transport. It is also critical for Luang Prabang to formulate a transport master plan that guides future transport system and traffic management, which enables Luang Prabang to continue to grow sustainably as a center of tourism with cultural heritages, while also meeting the mobility needs of local residents and workers.

With this background, JICA provides technical cooperation to DOT, DPWT and other concerned agencies, which support them to enchance their capacity in urban transport through producing three outputs described below.

The Overall Goal

Priority projects are implemented in accordance with the Urban Transport Master Plan for Luang Prabang to prosper as a sustainable city of tourism.

Project Purpose

The capacity for planning and project implementation of the government agencies involved in urban transport in the tourism city of Luang Prabang is strengthened.

Output

1. Through the Luang Prabang Transport Coordination Platform, an urban transport master plan with a vision of the urban structure in 2045 is developed.
2. Transport pilot projects for creating safe, secure and comfortable people-centered places within the World Heritage area are planned and implemented.
3. Pilot projects for establishing a convenient transport system for both residents and tourists, linking the World Heritage Area with the vicinity are planned and implemented.

Project Activities

(For achieving Output 1)

1.1.	Identify the roles of concerned agencies involved in urban transport.
1.2.	Establish the Luang Prabang Transport Coordination Platform.
1.3.	Review relevant plans pertaining to urban transport and urban development.
1.4.	Study and analyze current problems related to urban transport and urban development in the target area, and identify issues.
1.5.	Conduct training in Japan to learn about Japanese transport and urban development initiatives.
1.6.	Develop a draft vision of urban structure and urban transport for future.
1.7.	Build consensus on the future vision for urban structure and urban transport at the Transport Coordination Platform.
1.8.	Prepare a draft urban transport master plan.
1.9.	Feedback the results of pilot projects to the draft of urban transport master plan.
1.10.	Finalize the urban transport master plan at the Transport Coordination Platform.

(For achieving Output 2)

2.1.	Conduct supplementary studies, such as the actual trip situations in the heritage area, and the selection of prospect pilot project sites, based on the results of Activity 1.4.
2.2.	Plan draft pilot project plans, including their financial analysis (financial viability).
2.3.	Finalize the draft pilot project plans at the Transport Coordination Platform.
2.4.	Organize stakeholder meetings on the pilot projects to build a consensus.
2.5.	Implement the pilot projects.
2.6.	Monitor the pilot projects and identify issues and lessons learned.
2.7.	Feedback issues and lessons learned to transport planning.

(For achieving Output 3)

3.1.	Conduct supplementary studies required based on the results of Activity 1.4.
3.2.	Plan draft pilot project plans, including their financial analysis (financial viability).
3.3.	Finalize the draft pilot project plans at the Transport Coordination Platform.
3.4.	Organize stakeholder meetings on the pilot projects to build a consensus.
3.5.	Implement the pilot projects.
3.6.	Monitor the projects and identify issues and lessons learned.
3.7.	Feedback issues/lessons learned to transport planning.

Inputs
[Japanese side]

1. Dispatch of the Experts:
   a. Team Leader/ Urban Transport Planning
   b. Landscape and Historical Town Planning
   c.Urban Planning Development/Permit System
   d.Road (Network) Plan/ Traffic Survey/Traffic Demand Forecast
   e.Public Transport Plan/ Traffic Management Plan
   f. Smart City/DX Promotion
   g. Economic Analysis/Business model
   h.Design/Branding/Public Relations
   i.Environmental and Social Consideration
   j.Pilot Project Implementation/monitoring/ Capacity Development Plan/Training Management (Long-term expert)
2. Training: In Japan and inside Laos

Inputs
[Lao side]

1. Counterparts
   a. Project Director
   b. Project Manager
   c. Staff of DPWT
   d. Staff of DPL
   e. Staff of DoICT
   f. Staff of DPS (Traffic Police)
   g. Staff of City Government, Luang Prabang
2. Project Office and Necessary Utilities and Local Project Expenses
   a. Office spaces in the premises of DPWT and Utilities (furniture, electricity, water, security) for the office space
   b. Data provision and Security