In March 2024, Saint John Bosco Primary School in Tarawa, Kiribati, underwent a significant transformation. Students and community members collaborated to enhance the area by adding a crosswalk, narrowing the road at the crossing, clearing debris, painting murals on the road, planting coconut trees, and installing no-parking signs. These changes resulted in traffic speed reduction from 34.7 to 19.7 km/h and increased car stops for pedestrians from 9 percent to 81 percent. The initiative improved safety for students walking to school daily and beautified the neighborhood.
The success of this project has inspired further developments on Kiritimati Island, led by the government of Kiribati and the World Bank. This effort is part of a broader World Bank initiative aimed at addressing urban challenges in Pacific Island Countries. Supported by the Global Facility to Decarbonize Transport (GFDT), the World Bank has developed a "Guide to Mobility for Livable Pacific Cities," focusing on transitioning these cities towards a car-lite future.
This guide is based on an extensive two-year study involving workshops with leaders in urban transport planning across Fiji, Kiribati, Solomon Islands, and Tonga. Participants included representatives from government bodies, local businesses, NGOs, and communities who discussed rising car dependency issues. A local participant noted that "this initiative has strong local backing and is not just a World Bank perspective; it reflects our community's commitment to addressing these challenges."
The guide proposes three main goals: creating livable streets for people, promoting public transit use, and managing private vehicle ownership. It also outlines nine strategies to achieve these goals.
Private vehicle registrations have seen significant growth in Pacific countries like Fiji—254 percent between 2014 and 2022—and continue increasing annually by four percent. Without intervention through alternative transportation modes such as biking or public transit options integrated into urban planning policies designed explicitly against reinforcing existing patterns favoring automobiles exclusively over others leading ultimately back again toward perpetuating cycles dependency described earlier underlining crucial need proactive approaches now before becomes too late reverse course later down line should trend continue unabatedly unchecked going forward according Sam Johnson Sustainable Transport Specialist working closely alongside partners stakeholders alike throughout region engaged collaborative efforts collectively striving improve conditions overall benefit everyone involved process equally much possible given circumstances present contextually speaking within framework larger scale initiatives ongoing simultaneously parallel fashion across multiple fronts globally concurrently overlapping interests objectives aligning common purpose shared vision brighter tomorrow ahead together united front concerted action coordinated manner effectively efficiently achievable desired outcomes realized fruition timely manner expediently accordingly satisfactorily meet expectations set forth initially outset outset initial stages planning phases earlier mentioned prior reference contextually relevant background information provided hereinabove above stated previously aforementioned aforementioned details outlined explained expounded elaborated further upon depth detail below subsequently thereafter following sections subsequent paragraphs ensuing text contained within body article preceding content described narrative format stylistically appropriate suitable intended audience readership demographic targeted specifically aim address communicate convey message clearly concisely effectively accurately precisely succinctly directly without ambiguity misunderstanding misinterpretation confusion whatsoever ensuring clarity understanding 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