Navigating Urban Growth: Sustainable Mobility Policies in Burkina Faso

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Burkina Faso, undergoing rapid urbanization and population growth, faces significant challenges in developing sustainable cities. The surge in population is expected to add 4.3 million residents to Burkinabe cities between 2018 and 2030. Key urban centers like Ouagadougou and Bobo-Dioulasso are projected to double their populations within a decade.

Amidst this growth, the focus on sustainable urban development aims to provide residents with essential infrastructure, services, and job opportunities to enhance their quality of life. Central to this goal is the need to address urban mobility conditions.

Burkina Faso's national urban mobility policy targets the development of effective means to meet diverse mobility needs while optimizing public financial resources and reducing reliance on individual transport modes powered by fossil fuels. The overarching objective is to create sustainable cities where residents can thrive.

Without reliable alternative public transport, motorized two-wheelers have become the primary mode of transportation in Burkinabe cities. Boasting accessibility at a lower cost, these motorbikes have become integral to people's lives and the economy.

The motorization rate in Burkina Faso has surged to 116 motorbikes per 1000 residents, with almost 2.5 million registered two-wheelers across the nation. An additional 278,000 units were registered in 2017, reflecting a fast-growing trend.

The influx of motorized vehicles, including two-wheelers and those with four or more wheels, has led to a surge in traffic flows, particularly in major cities. Downtown Ouagadougou witnessed a staggering 125% increase in traffic from 2014 to 2016.

The capital's concentration of economic activities and administrative functions, combined with urban sprawl, has resulted in commuter flows covering substantial distances. This has created heavy traffic on main arterial roads, elevated accident risks, and increased congestion during peak hours, affecting both motorbike and car users.

While substantial investments in the road network and the ongoing city bypass project in Ouagadougou aim to improve traffic conditions, the dynamic nature of motorization poses challenges. More than new infrastructures is required to resolve congestion issues.

A proactive multimodal mobility strategy is recommended for the capital and secondary cities to maximize public spending.

A sustainable approach is imperative to tackle the adverse effects of individual motorized transport. This mode of transport is a major contributor to CO2 emissions, air pollution, and road safety concerns.

With daily motorbike and car trips constituting a significant share of transport emissions, it is crucial to adopt policies that reduce the reliance on individual motorized transport.

According to international studies, the growth of individual motorized transport is detrimental to the environment and poses health risks. Road accidents involving two-wheel vehicles have tripled over the last 15 years, recording over 13,000 incidents, with fatalities doubling. Additionally, the surge in oil prices on the international market adversely affects Burkina Faso's trade balance, given the substantial imports of vehicles and fuel.

As Burkina Faso charts its course through urban growth, sustainable mobility policies become paramount. Navigating the challenges posed by the surge in motorized vehicles requires a comprehensive approach, balancing infrastructure development, policy implementation, and a shift towards sustainable transport modes.