The developing world needs more roads – Works in Progress Magazine

Report on Urban Infrastructure and its Role in Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals

1.0 Introduction: The Urban Imperative for Sustainable Development

Urban centers are critical engines for cooperation and economic specialization, generating productivity gains known as agglomeration effects. These benefits are contingent upon two factors: the physical density of the built environment and the efficiency of the transport systems that connect it. The achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities), SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth), and SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure), is intrinsically linked to the ability of cities to facilitate the efficient movement of people and goods. In many developing nations, rapid, unplanned urbanization leads to the crowding out of public spaces, resulting in inadequate transport corridors. This fragments markets and diminishes economic potential, creating a significant barrier to sustainable development. This report analyzes the critical need for strategic public infrastructure planning in rapidly urbanizing regions, drawing lessons from historical precedents to inform policies that support long-term sustainable growth.

2.0 The Link Between Urban Planning and the Sustainable Development Goals

2.1 Fostering Economic Growth and Resilient Infrastructure (SDG 8 & SDG 9)

Effective urban transport is a cornerstone of economic productivity. The ability to move efficiently across a city expands labor markets, facilitates trade, and enables collaboration. When transport systems fail due to congestion and poor planning, these agglomeration benefits are lost, directly impeding progress on SDG 8. Furthermore, SDG 9 calls for the development of quality, reliable, sustainable, and resilient infrastructure. Investing in a well-planned network of roads, railways, and transit corridors is a direct investment in this goal, creating the foundational infrastructure necessary for sustained economic growth and innovation.

2.2 Building Inclusive and Sustainable Cities (SDG 11)

The core challenge addressed in this report aligns with SDG 11, which aims to make cities inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable. The current trajectory of urban expansion in many developing countries undermines several of its key targets:

• Target 11.2 (Sustainable Transport): The lack of dedicated public space for transport infrastructure leads to systems that are inefficient, unsafe, and inaccessible, particularly for vulnerable populations.
• Target 11.3 (Inclusive Urbanization): Unplanned growth, where private claims crowd out public needs, is the antithesis of inclusive and sustainable urbanization.
• Target 11.7 (Access to Public Space): The shortage of land allocated to streets and shared infrastructure represents a failure to provide universal access to essential public spaces.

3.0 Historical Context: A Precedent for Proactive Urban Planning

3.1 The 19th Century Infrastructure Revolution

In the 19th century, European and American cities faced a similar tension between private land use and public infrastructure needs. The response was a transformative rebalancing that prioritized public works to enable industrial-era agglomeration. This era demonstrates a clear historical precedent for achieving urban sustainability through decisive government action.

1. Infrastructure Expansion: Arterial roads and boulevards were cut through existing urban fabric, such as Baron Haussmann’s redevelopment of Paris, which destroyed nearly 20,000 buildings to improve circulation.
2. Public Transit Development: Land was allocated for extensive tram networks, railway lines, and large termini, forming the backbone of modern public transit systems.
3. Planned Urban Extensions: New urban districts, particularly in the United States and parts of Europe, were laid out on grid systems that reserved generous rights-of-way for roads before private development occurred.

These investments were critical for making cities functional and were foundational to their subsequent economic success, providing a valuable lesson for today’s urban planners aiming to meet the SDGs.

3.2 The Infrastructure Deficit in Developing Nations

In stark contrast to historical precedents, many rapidly growing cities today are developing with a significant infrastructure deficit. This deficit is most evident in the allocation of land for public thoroughfares.

• Developed Cities: In North American and European cities, streets typically occupy 25-30% of the land area (e.g., 27% in Manhattan, 24% in London).
• Developing Cities: The average for cities in Africa, Asia, and Latin America is only 16%. Specific examples include Dhaka (12%), Kolkata (10%), and Nairobi (12%).

This shortage directly contributes to severe urban congestion, which lengthens commutes, increases costs, and effectively shrinks the accessible labor market, disproportionately impacting the poor and hindering progress towards SDG 1 (No Poverty) and SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities).

4.0 The Economic and Social Impact of Urban Infrastructure Investment

4.1 Quantifiable Gains in Economic Productivity (SDG 8)

Recent studies provide empirical evidence linking robust transport infrastructure to economic growth, reinforcing the objectives of SDG 8.

• A study of over 1,000 Sub-Saharan African cities found that each additional kilometer of road per square kilometer in a city’s center correlates with a 1.5% to 7% increase in city population 15 years later, indicating significant economic attraction.
• In India, manufacturers in areas with a 1% increase in road density experienced a 0.25% growth in total factor productivity.
• China’s investment in its motorway system between 1990 and 2012 yielded an estimated annual return of 11% from productivity gains alone.

4.2 Enhancing Property Values and Local Economies (SDG 11)

Infrastructure improvements also generate localized economic benefits that contribute to more sustainable communities. A randomized evaluation in Veracruz, Mexico, where slum roads were paved, found that the investment returned 55% when accounting for the spillover effects on surrounding property values. This demonstrates how targeted infrastructure projects can create wealth and stability at the community level, aligning with the goals of SDG 11.

5.0 Policy Recommendations for Sustainable Urban Futures

5.1 Secure Public Rights-of-Way as a Long-Term Asset

Urban planning decisions are remarkably persistent. To avoid locking in patterns of inefficiency and inequality, governments in developing nations must prioritize the reservation of generous public rights-of-way in expanding urban areas. This forward-looking strategy is one of the most cost-effective investments a city can make to ensure future flexibility and resilience, directly supporting SDG 9 and SDG 11. The 1811 grid plan for Manhattan, established when the city was small and relatively poor, serves as a powerful model for this approach.

5.2 Adopt a Multi-Modal Infrastructure Strategy (SDG 11.2)

Allocating ample space for transport does not necessitate prioritizing private cars. On the contrary, wide arterial corridors are essential for implementing effective and sustainable public transport solutions.

1. Bus Rapid Transit (BRT): High-capacity systems like Bogota’s require multiple lanes to allow express buses to bypass those stopped at stations.
2. Light Rail and Trams: Dedicated lanes for trams and light rail can be integrated into wide boulevards, as seen in many European cities.
3. Cycling and Pedestrian Infrastructure: Generous road space allows for the creation of safe, segregated lanes for cyclists and wider sidewalks for pedestrians.
4. Underground Rail: Building cut-and-cover metro systems is significantly cheaper and less disruptive under wide arterial roads than boring tunnels deep beneath existing structures.

By planning for multi-modal transport from the outset, cities can build systems that are efficient, equitable, and environmentally sustainable, directly addressing SDG Target 11.2.

Analysis of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in the Article

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

1. SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities
   • The article’s central theme is urban planning, focusing on the critical role of public spaces, transport infrastructure, and efficient land use in making cities functional and economically viable. It directly addresses the challenges of rapid urbanization in developing countries and advocates for integrated planning to create inclusive and sustainable urban environments.
2. SDG 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure
   • The text extensively discusses the necessity of developing quality and reliable infrastructure, specifically roads, railways, and public transit systems. It argues that such infrastructure is not a luxury but a fundamental requirement for economic development, connecting people and markets, and enabling industrial-era agglomeration.
3. SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth
   • The article explicitly links efficient urban infrastructure to economic productivity and growth. It explains the concept of “agglomeration effects,” where human proximity in well-connected cities leads to productivity gains, higher incomes, and better access to labor markets, thereby fostering sustained economic growth.
4. SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities
   • The article touches upon inequality by highlighting how poor transport infrastructure disproportionately affects poorer residents. It notes that in cities like Mumbai, high transport costs and long commute times shut the poor “off from the larger labor market entirely,” thus perpetuating economic disparities.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

1. Under SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities):
   • Target 11.2: By 2030, provide access to safe, affordable, accessible and sustainable transport systems for all. The article is fundamentally about this target, contrasting cities with effective transport systems (London) with those where commutes are long and inefficient (Delhi, Mumbai). It discusses various modes of transport, including roads, railways, trams, buses, and cycling, and emphasizes the need to reserve land for these systems.
   • Target 11.3: By 2030, enhance inclusive and sustainable urbanization and capacity for participatory, integrated and sustainable human settlement planning and management in all countries. The article advocates for “deliberate efforts to reserve and protect rights of way” and criticizes the current trend in developing countries where “development is happening at the expense of public uses of land.” It promotes integrated planning, citing historical examples from 19th-century Europe and America.
   • Target 11.7: By 2030, provide universal access to safe, inclusive and accessible, green and public spaces. The article discusses the historical shift from premodern cities with minimal public space to 19th-century cities that created “wide new public roads,” parks, and civic buildings. It argues for the necessity of “shared spaces that allow a city to function as a whole.”
2. Under SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure):
   • Target 9.1: Develop quality, reliable, sustainable and resilient infrastructure, including regional and transborder infrastructure, to support economic development and human well-being. The entire article is a call to action for this target, arguing that investing in a “generous endowment of road space” and other transport infrastructure is a valuable “bequest… to future generations” that underpins economic potential and quality of life.
3. Under SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth):
   • Target 8.1: Sustain per capita economic growth in accordance with national circumstances. The article argues that improving urban infrastructure enhances “agglomeration effects,” which leads to a “two to ten percent increase in productivity for every doubling of population.” This increased productivity is a direct driver of economic growth.
   • Target 8.2: Achieve higher levels of economic productivity through diversification, technological upgrading and innovation. The article provides evidence that infrastructure investment boosts productivity, citing a study where manufacturers in India “grew total factor productivity at a rate of a quarter of a percent for each one percent increase in road density.”

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

1. Proportion of land allocated to streets and public spaces: This is a key indicator used throughout the article to compare cities. It states, “27 percent of Manhattan is dedicated to roads, as is 24 percent of London,” while for the “average city in Africa, Asia, or Latin America, only 16 percent is reserved for streets.” This metric directly measures progress towards allocating land for public use and transport infrastructure (relevant to Targets 11.3 and 11.7).
2. Accessibility of public transport/city centers: The article measures the effectiveness of a city’s transport system by the percentage of the population that can reach the city center within a certain time. For example, “In London… around seventy percent of the population is within one hour’s journey of the city center,” whereas in Los Angeles, it is “just four percent… by rapid transit, walking or cycling.” This is a direct measure for Target 11.2.
3. Road density and its impact on population and productivity: The article cites studies that use “road density” (kilometers of road per square kilometer) as an indicator. One study found that “every single kilometer of road per square kilometer of area in the center of a city leads to a city population that is between 1.5 and 7 percent larger 15 years later.” This measures infrastructure development (Target 9.1) and its link to economic growth (Target 8.1).
4. Travel time and congestion levels: The article implies this indicator by discussing how “Journeys in Delhi are 75 percent longer” during peak hours and that it “typically takes between two and four hours to travel from Mumbai’s central business district… to the northernmost residential neighborhoods during rush hour.” Measuring average travel times and their variability is a way to assess the efficiency of transport systems (Target 11.2).
5. Economic return on infrastructure investment: The article mentions the financial and economic benefits of infrastructure projects as an indicator of their success. It notes that motorway investments in China “had an annual return of 11 percent due to productivity gains” and that a road paving project in Mexico “returned 55 percent” when spillover effects were included. This can measure the effectiveness of investments under Target 9.1.

4. Summary Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: worksinprogress.co