The paper examines basic transportation and land use characteristics from a selection of cities in Africa, China, Latin America, and South Asia. By definition, pooerer than thier industrialized country counterparts, developing cities are in a stage of rapid dynamis. From a mobility perspective, perhaps the single most influencing factor motorization - the growth in motor vehicle ownership. While income drives motorization, national industrial policy, trade liberalization, and the influx of used vehicles, and income distibution all play roles. In many cities, motorized two-wheelers serve as a mobility equalizer, extending mobility for many residents, increasing the overall motorization level, an, possibly accelerating the path towards automobile ownership. They also pose a hos of traffic safety, pollution, and traffic management challenges. While public transportation continues to serve as the primary transportation mode for the majority of developing country residents, the systems are hampered factors such as low purchasing power of users, often large presence of "informal" para-transit operators, and a difficulty in managing private sector operators. While some cities lean towards high profile, high cost public transportation projects, bus rapid transit interventions are also spreading rapidly.

URL: http://web.mit.edu/czegras/www/Zegras&Gakenheimer_WBCSD3.pdf