Yerevan Sustainable Transport Implementation

Country: Armenia
City: Yerevan

Key Stakeholders and PartnersYerevan Municipality, ADB

CDIA SupportUS$ 520,000

Expected Downstream Financing$ 10 million (local financing)

Infrastructure sectorsUrban Transport

CDIA priority impact areasClimate Change Mitigation and Adaptation; Environmental Improvement; Good Governance; Poverty Reduction

Key City Development Issues

Mobility patterns in Yerevan have radically changed with the evolution of the economy in the early 1990s and the closure of large industrial plants. It has significantly affected the ridership on the public transport networks, necessitating a major reorganization of the transport system. The transport sector is also a major source of air pollutants in the capital city. The Yerevan Municipality (YM) has embarked on a development agenda that emphasizes a shift to sustainable urban mobility. A long-term plan has been prepared in 2019 with the support of Asian Development Bank, which sets out a comprehensive renewal of the public transport system, and a fully integrated public transport network supported by an integrated tariff system and a modern flexible ticketing system.

Details of Cooperation

The objective of the CDIA-financed project preparation study (PPS) is to prepare strategic, operational and institutional recommendations, including the preliminary design to facilitate the implementation of the new bus network by YM. The project consists of a combination of advisory services to build local capacity on integrated and sustainable urban mobility, and specific outputs to develop the key features of the new network. The objectives of the project are: (i) to enhance the capacity of the YM for the new bus network implementation, as well as air pollution monitoring; (ii) to recommend strategic measures for a phased implementation of the integrated network; and (iii) to conduct preliminary engineering design for key facilities that will allow efficient operation of the newly purchased buses.

Expected Development Impacts

The study will directly contribute to the implementation of the new bus network and will enable the newly purchased fleet (with support from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development) to operate on an adequate and efficient system. When fully implemented, the project will lead to an increase in the efficiency and use of the public transport system and will therefore have a direct positive impact on the environment and public health, due to reduced vehicle pollution of the atmosphere. A dedicated air quality monitoring activity will be piloted to establish baselines on a priority corridor. Furthermore, the reduced journey time and improved system access will have direct benefits for the urban poor, women, and the elderly.