China - Urumqi Urban Transport Improvement Project (UUTIP)

Report No. PID7024 Project Name China-Urumqi Urban Transport Improvement (@) Project (UUTIP) Region East Asia and Pacific Region Sector Urban Transport Project ID CNPE45915 Borrower(s) Ministry of Finance, PRC Implementing Agency Urumqi Municipal Government Environment Category A Date PID Updated December 19, 2000 Appraisal Date January 10-17, 2000 Board Date December 19, 2000 Introduction Urumqi is the capital city and the political, economic and cultural hub of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region [link to map]. It has a total population of 1.89 million residents (of whom 1.59 million are registered permanent and 0.3 million are "floating" or non-resident population). The formal population of the Urumqi accounts for 8.8% of the population of XUAR, but contributes 21% to its Gross Regional Product. Minority populations account for 27.3% of the municipality, with 12.7% Uygur, 9.5% Hui, 3.2% Kazak, and the remainder being Man, Mongol, Xibe, Russ and Uzbek. The Urumqi Urban Transport Improvement Project is addressing rapid urban development challenges in Urumqi by promoting a cost-effective and environmentally balanced framework for urban transport development. The objective of the project is to foster a multi-modal urban transport system which is planned, designed and used for the safe, efficient and healthy movement of people and goods. Special efforts were made to ensure that the project does not impose cultural specific hardships on one or more of the ethnic minorities. The project will add needed urban transport infrastructure, promote safer and more efficient use of existing road capacity via area traffic management and improved public transport, and better the environment through vehicle emissions control and landscaping programs. It will benefit both residents and business enterprises by improving the operation of the urban transport system and boosting longer-term economic development, and meets key objectives of the World Bank's strategy in China of reducing infrastructure bottlenecks to growth while focusing investment in inland areas. The estimated completion date of the project is June 30, 2005, with a projected closing date of December 31, 2005 Country and Sector Background Sector Issues  The main issues facing China's urban transport sector stem from increasing urbanization, combined with increasing motorization of the vehicle fleet, (fueled by rising incomes), and inefficient public transport. China's urban population is forecast to increase from 30.29 of the population (319 million) in 1995 to 49.1- of the population (711.7 million) in 2020/2. Over the same period, assuming low-end projections of per-capita urban income growth, car ownership in cities is projected to increase from 10 per 1000 residents in 1995 to 120-130 per 1000 residents in 2020. Without some management of demand for their use, travel by private vehicles could be expected to grow at a similar rate. Government Strategy A symposium was held in Beijing in late 1995, to discuss China's Urban Transport Development Strategy, sponsored by the Ministry of Construction, the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank. Agreements reached provide the policy context for this project. These were brought together as five principles, four criteria and eight actions. The five principles represent themes that should guide urban transport planning and operations in China: (1) transport is about moving people and goods, not vehicles; (2) transport prices should reflect full social costs; (3) transport reforms should deepen to align with socialist market principles so as to increase efficiency; (4) the role of government should be to guide transport development; and, (5) the role of the private sector in providing transport services should be encouraged. City plans and policies for managing transport should meet four criteria: environmental sustainability; economic viability; financial affordability; and social acceptability. Consistent with these principles and criteria, eight actions were recommended: (1) reform urban transport administration; (2) upgrade the status of traffic management; (3) prepare a strategy to mitigate motor vehicle air and noise pollution; (4) develop policies to manage traffic demand; (5) develop a strategy for mass transit; (6) reform public transport management and operations; (7) develop a financing strategy for the transport sector; and (8) strengthen the framework for transport planning and capacity building. Sector Issues to be addressed by the project Urbanisation. Projections of economic and population growth for Urumqi over the next 20 years have been made by UMG planners as a step in the updating of the 1985 Master Plan for the municipality. They show that by 2020, Urumqi is expected to have a population of 2.27 million. These projections were reviewed during project preparation. They are generally considered to provide a reasonable basis for forecasting travel demand. Motorization. Urumqi has seen rapid increases in motor vehicle ownership and use during recent years. By 1997, the motor vehicle fleet totaled 79,100 vehicles, (52 vehicles per 1000 population) of which 54t were trucks and 46t - 2 -  were passenger vehicles (including taxis and minibuses). Based on government projections of economic and population growth, the motor vehicle fleet is projected to increase to 300,000 vehicles in 2020 (132 vehicles per 1000 population). While it is not feasible to reduce the level of motorization, it is possible to reduce the use of cars, by making alternatives - principally walking and public transport - more attractive. Travel Demand. Travel demand by all modes is projected to increase by 55% from 1999 to 2020, with 859 of that increase resulting from projected increases in population, and the remaining 15% from an increase in the number of trips per person, with the expected increase in incomes. Much of the increase in travel demand will be between the existing Central Business District (CBD) area in the south east of the city and new mixed-use development areas in the north west. The project will ensure that the road network, traffic management and public transport components are designed to provide the capacity needed to meet future travel demand. Facilities for Pedestrians and Cyclists. Weather conditions (harsh winters and hot summers) and geography (hilly terrain) do not favor bicycle use in Urumqi. As a result, travel demand for cycle use is lower-than-average for a Chinese city. Within the city center, bicycle traffic volumes are low (2%-5% of trips), resulting in excess capacity on city center non-motorized transport (NMT) facilities. Daily trips by bicycle are expected to increase by only 10% in the future, however walk trips will continue to make up a large share of the total travel demand, increasing by 20%. Urban Traffic Congestion. While traffic conditions are not yet severe in Urumqi, there is evidence of emerging congestion in the CBD and along north- south routes, particularly at junctions. Delays account for approximately 35% of total journey times, and are attributed primarily to waiting time at traffic signals. Traffic flow is nearing capacity with instability at key locations. Without increases in road capacity, the forecast increases in car and taxi travel demand would result in severe increases in congestion along key north-south corridors. Traffic Management. Existing traffic management concentrates on physically segregating pedestrians and vehicles by barriers and grade-separation, vehicle bans and a limited number of uncoordinated traffic signals. Road user behavior and the road sense of drivers and pedestrians is poor, despite road user education campaigns; as a result, there is inefficient use of roadspace. Road Safety. The incidence and severity of accidents in Urumqi appears uncommonly high compared with other cities of similar population and motorization within China. In 1997 there were 222 fatalities per million population. A more objective assessment of numbers of road accidents and design of targeted remedial measures will be possible with the computer based data collection and analysis techniques proposed in the project. Road Maintenance. The extremes of hot dry summers and cold snowy winters pose specific problems for road maintenance units. Between November and March no periodic maintenance can be carried out, only snow clearing. Maintenance work programs are labor intensive and based on engineering judgment as there is no maintenance management system or equipment to measure road condition. Since there is no local program budgeting system, there is no mechanism to -3 -  provide for maintenance expenses on a long-term basis. Road Network. Urumqi's road network is essentially a NW-SE linear grid, with a limited access expressway forming a central spine. It is constrained in the south by an 800 meter gap between two hills. It is deficient in providing capacity for N-S cross town movements, and protecting the established CBD from congestion. Without additional major investment in new capacity (to be provided by the project), the city's attractiveness to commercial development will be reduced. This in turn will be detrimental to the city's economic growth and its ability to increase the living standards of its population. Public Transport. If public transport is to retain or increase its share of demand, the financial constraints on the main supplier (Urumqi Public Transport Company -UPTC- with 1,831 buses) need to be reduced and operational strategies need to be clarified and more forcefully implemented. The transport company's main shortcomings - overcrowding, poor geographic coverage of routes and low quality of service to users - are caused by financial constraints deriving from a mandated low-priced fare structure, capped-level subsidy, and an inability to shed surplus labor. If these constraints were lifted, UPTC would be better placed to acquire new buses, provide extra capacity, and improve and expand services, while at the same time reducing its operating costs and approaching financial viability. Furthermore, the rise of minibuses - which have higher fares, lower costs and are commercially viable - and the lack of a clear policy framework for their role has resulted in greater congestion on UPTC's most profitable routes, which detracts further from UPTC's operational efficiency while reducing its revenues. Air Pollution. Industrial activity is presently the main contributor to poor ambient air quality in Urumqi, especially in the winter months, while motor vehicles are the main source of pollution in summer. Increasing motorization and traffic congestion will significantly increase the contribution of mobile source pollution. As part of a national pilot program in 10 cities, Urumqi has undertaken conversion of 1,500 buses from gasoline to compressed natural gas (CNG). The taxi fleet is being converted to liquefied petroleum gas (LPG). National and local laws and regulations to govern emissions are under development. Institutions. The institutional arrangements for the planning, design and management of urban transport infrastructure and services in Urumqi are similar to other cities in China. Responsibility for urban transport is distributed across a wide array of institutions, with limited coordination across agencies. Local technical capacity is limited and unevenly distributed between agencies. Institutional reform and development is proposed within the project to improve the coordinated formulation and implementation of transport policy, planning, and budgeting, and the regulation and implementation of transport services and facilities. Strategic Choices During the project preparation phase, the UMG leadership and transport agencies made several strategic choices to address the above sector issues. Road capacity. The need to invest in the expansion of road capacity, - 4 -  particularly in a ring road, was examined in depth given that the North-South Hetan expressway was recently built. Economic analysis showed that extra capacity is required but a full ring road with standards as originally proposed could not be justified, particularly in the NE quadrant. A lower- capacity partial ring-road (together with complementary limited improvements to the arterial road network) is therefore proposed. Public transport. Given the high levels of existing and projected future public transport use, high priority was attached to improving the quantity, quality and efficiency of bus services. As the public sector operator is already raising some capital for buses from local financial institutions, investment in buses and depots was considered unnecessary. The project also considered the extent of reforms which was feasible in the public transport sector. UMG have agreed to create a new regulatory agency for public transport separate from UPTC, together with other reforms. The project supports these initiatives. An annual review of implementation of the reform program, including possible modifications to the program itself and its targets was agreed at negotiations. Investments in light rail and busways were found unjustifiable. However, it was agreed that possible future investment will be examined in the proposed Network Development Study. Traffic management. The project team evaluated the timing and extent of institutional development and training prior to any major investments. It was agreed that knowledge transfer and institutional strengthening would be best achieved with training and investment taking place in parallel. Environmental Management. Direct environmental impacts of motor vehicles will be mitigated through measures incorporated in the Environmental Management Plan (EMP). However, this plan only deals with the local visual intrusion, noise and air pollution from motor vehicles. City wide mitigation of air pollution from motor vehicles would require a comprehensive stand alone project with actions to be undertaken at national and local levels. Therefore, a choice was made regarding the scope of activities to be included under the project. An outline MVECS, building on the ongoing city initiatives, was prepared as part of the EMP. The project supports the implementation of Stage 2 of this Strategy. A Bank/UMG annual review of the MVECS was agreed at negotiations. 3. Rationale for Bank's Involvement The Bank's value-added to the project is provided in the form of integrated technical knowledge and policy advice in all aspects of urban transport, and the transfer of worldwide technical good practice in project implementation. The project will build on the Bank's experience from the five urban transport projects in China. The Urumqi Municipal Government (UMG) team has greatly benefited from this knowledge transfer during project preparation. Bank involvement has resulted in broadening the scope of the project, the development of inter-agency teams for component design, and the integration of transport planning into the Master Plan process. UMG has agreed to create new institutions that will ensure inter-agency policy and planning coordination - the project will support the strengthening of these new - 5 -  institutions. 4. Project Description Project Components. A. Road Network Development. To maintain and improve the road network, this component will provide a 31.25 km "Ring Road", 29 km. of which is financed under the project. The proposed road will link the old CBD to new development areas of the city, protect the CBD from extraneous traffic, and distribute regional traffic to the urban trunk road network. The component also includes other local road works to support the functioning of the ring road, a road maintenance management system and road maintenance equipment. Benefits: Reduced travel time and increased savings on vehicle operating costs; ability to maintain bus speeds on key corridors even as traffic levels increase; improved road networks will boost regional and local businesses through improved access to people and goods; land value could increase over time, benefiting land owners. B. Traffic Management and Road Safety. This component is designed to enhance the efficiency in the use of the existing road space and improve traffic safety. It contains five programs focusing on investment and technical assistance: Junction channelisation, traffic signals and Area Traffic Control (ATC). Pedestrian Facilities Parking system improvement Enforcement and User Education Accident Analysis and Road Safety Benefits: increased effective capacity of roadspace of road users and adjacent land uses; personal and economic benefits by preventing or reducing severity of accidents; safe pedestrian facilities ensure broad equity of project benefits; better systematic analysis of accidents and targeted programs; boost to urban amenity and living. Public Transport. This component is designed to develop public transport as a viable and sustainable travel alternative to the car by improving the level of existing bus services, and to support the ongoing reforms towards the strengthening of the regulatory and planning capabilities of the Urban Construction Commission (UCC), and the commercial viability of UPTC, through three programs: Urumqi Public Transport Company corporate planning and reform support Bus priority measures and passenger facilities Public transport policy and regulatory reform Benefits: lower operating costs; strengthened image and use of public transport facilities; reduced need for government subsidies; increased energy efficiency; deferred need for new road investment; more equitable distribution of benefits given high levels of public transport use among minorities, poor, women, and transients. D. Environmental Management. Urumqi's leadership is very active in promoting and implementing environmental protection and improvement - 6 -  initiatives. This component is designed to support them through two programs: Greening/ring road landscaping outside the road right of way Motor Vehicle Emission Control Strategy (MVECS) Benefits: better informed decision-making on environment and motorization policies; mitigation of noise impacts and improved environmental quality of city; health benefits from research and management of emissions through regulation, market pricing, and/or technological specifications. E. Institutional Development. This component is designed to strengthen local capacity and processes for urban transport, planning, programming and budgeting, and system management, Benefits: better informed decision-making on urban transport sector and growth management policies; enhanced ability to develop and implement economically sound policies, plans, and investment programs. Costs and Financing Component Indicative Costs Bank financing A. Road Network Development $222.6 million $84 million B. Traffic Management & Road Safety $11.8 million $7 million C. Public Transport $7.5 million $3.6 million D. Environmental Management $4.6 million $2.5 million E. Institutional Development $3.5 million $1.9 million Key sector and policy reforms supported by the project. Strengthened coordination of municipal urban transport sector policies and programs Measurable progress on a strategy for public transport reform Continued progress on implementation of a MVECS Development and implementation of a systematic road maintenance management system 6. Implementation Project Implementation. Urumqi Municipal Government (UMG) will be the executing agency, responsible for project implementation, counterpart funds arrangement, loan repayment, and ensuring compliance with World Bank policies. UMG signed the Project Agreement with the World Bank.. Project Oversight. An Urumqi Municipal Government Project Leading Group (consisting of the heads of implementing agencies and headed by a vice-mayor) with responsibility for overall project coordination (during both preparation and implementation) was established at the start of project preparation. Currently, the Mayor and a Vice Mayor are overseeing project preparation. The UMG Leading Group will coordinate with a Provincial Project Leading Group - 7 -  (consisting of leaders of concerned provincial agencies and headed by the XUAR deputy chairman) which has been established to coordinate project matters among national, regional and municipal governments. An Urban Transport Sector Leading Group has been established to formulate policy, undertake planning and guide implementation of urban transport activities for the city, including traffic management policies and operations. This group will oversee all studies. Project Management. The already established Project Executive Office (PEO), reporting to the UMG Project Leading Group, has overall responsibility for project management and coordination with respect to implementation. The PEO will be responsible for coordinating the procurement activities for all components. The PEO will be responsible for day-to-day management of TA and other activities included in the Institutional Strengthening Component. The PEO and all implementing agencies jointly prepared the Project Implementation Plan (PIP). It will be used as a working document to guide the implementation of the project. The PEO will be responsible for preparing quarterly and annual progress reports and annual work programs based on the PIP. The AWP will be the subject of a joint Bank/UMG review. Finance. The Ministry of Finance (MOF) will on-lend World Bank loan funds to the XUAR (through the Finance Bureau), which will in turn on-lend funds to Urumqi Municipality. The loan type will be LIBOR-based floating rate Single Currency (US$) Loan (SCL). On-lending terms from MOF to XUAR and from XUAR to UMG will be the same as the World Bank's to the Borrower. The 19 front- end fee will be financed from the loan. Civil works were initiated in the second quarter of 2000 which will be retro-actively financed by the loan in the amount of $9 million. Financial Management and Disbursement. The financial management aspects of the Project are to be handled by the PEO and Regional Finance Bureau (RFB). In terms of disbursement technique, the project will be utilizing traditional disbursement techniques as opposed to using the Project Management Report (PMR)-based disbursement system. Procurement. The Procurement Division of the PEO will have overall responsibility for procurement, while the Project Management Division will be responsible for subsequent contract management. Implementing agencies will participate in procurement under the guidance, coordination and supervision of the PEO. World Bank Supervision Arrangements. The Project has been prepared by a joint Beijing and Washington based team led from Washington. The same team will supervise the project. It is anticipated that there will be three supervision missions a year led from the Beijing office. The fourth mission each year will be the annual review mission led from Washington. 7. Sustainability Sustainable benefits will depend upon several factors including: Creation and retention of new institutional structures Professional development of local technical staff Sustainable financing for public transport and road maintenance Integrated transport and urban development Implementation and enforcement of the MVECS - 8-  Maintenance of traffic management measures.. Maintenance of high public transport mode share 8. Lessons learned from past operations in the country/sector The Bank has financed four urban transport projects in China: Shanghai (two projects), Guangzhou, and Liaoning. The main lesson from these projects is that participation of all agencies with responsibilities for urban transport is key to developing a balanced, integrated and sustainable project. Of particular importance is the need to include agencies not involved with road construction. Other key lessons are: A sustainable solution needs more than a ring road. Good communication is vital Integration of land use and transport is essential for network design. The need to recognize and address the institutional gap into which traffic management falls. Pace of reform in public transport is governed by local agencies and national political conditions. 9. Program of Targeted Intervention (PTI) No 10. Environment Aspects (including any public consultation) Background. Because the project was identified in 1997 and the Concept Meeting was held in November 1998, OD 4.01 applies, rather than OP 4.01 (dated January, 1999 and effective March, 1999). The project is classified category A since it involves resettlement, major ring road construction (partly on new alignment) and increased air pollution and noise, particularly adjacent to the ring road. The Environmental Assessment (EA) Report, Environmental Action Plan (EAP) and EA Summary report were prepared by the Xinjiang Environmental Assessment and Techniques Center (XETAC), part of the Xinjiang Environmental Monitoring Center (XEMC). International consultants funded under the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) offered technical assistance in preparing the EA, EAP and EA Summary. The international consultants ensured that these documents provided an independent technical assessment. Consultation. As part of the Environmental Assessment, public consultation on the project was implemented in two stages: the first between August 1998 and June 1999 and the second between June and September 1999. A variety of techniques was utilized including: site visits; surveys (including the distribution of questionnaires, letters, and phone interviews); public meetings; the distribution of pamphlets (in Uygur and Chinese) giving an overview of the project and indicating the availability for review of the draft EA Summary in both languages, and the announcement of the second public meeting (at which EA and RAP documents and summaries were also presented in both languages). Advertisements were also provided in both languages in local newspapers and on radio. As well, a telephone hotline was established for telephone inquiries related to the project. Alternatives. During the project preparation phase, the UMG leadership and transport agencies discussed strategic choices to address the key sector issues of road capacity, public transport, traffic management and management - 9-  of the environmental impacts of motor vehicles. The need to invest in the expansion of road capacity, particularly in a ring road, was examined in depth given that the North-South Hetan expressway was recently built. Public transport alternatives considered included investment in vehicles, in a new bus depot, and more extensive bus priority measures, including a possible busway. Strategic Network Analysis using a travel demand model was undertaken to identify the need for a major investment and compare alternative investment programs to meet future demand. Five alternative networks were modeled. Use of the model to test alternative junction layout and design standards was continuous throughout the preliminary design process. A major outcome of demand analyses was the reduction of roadway standards for the eastern and northern sections of the ring road alignment. Traffic figures also informed decisions relating to the need for elevated sections, number of lanes, and interchange layout and scale. Based on the engineering and environmental analysis, five segments of the Ring Road consist of alignment alternatives. The preferred alignment of each segment was selected by comparisons (see Map 30808R). A full analysis of the alternatives is presented in the EIA report. Impacts and Mitigation. Noise, vibration, sunshine and severance were all considered in the design phase of the project. Mitigation measures proposed (including sound barriers, sound insulation of sensitive buildings) are set out in the EAP. Planting on an area equivalent to 15t of the land area of the Ring Road is included as a mitigation measure. Additional planting on a similar sized area is included in Project Component D: Environmental Management. A total of twenty pedestrian bridges or underpasses are to be built to ensure access. The MVECS included in Component D of the project is designed to provide city-wide longer term mitigation measures for air pollution from motor vehicles. Disclosure. The final EA Summary Report (and the RAP Summary Report) were made available to the public in Chinese and Uygur in early September 1999. The final versions of the EA, EAP and EA Summary documents in Chinese and the EA Summary Report in Uygur were made available in Urumqi on December 5, 1999. Draft English versions of the reports were submitted to the Bank in October 1999, and final versions were sent to the Public Information Center (PIC) in December 1999. Social Aspects Resettlement Action Plan (RAP) Background. Operational Directive 4.30 on Involuntary Resettlement applies to this project. The Project Executive Office commissioned the Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences to undertake baseline social analyses and resettlement planning to ensure that incomes and living standards are improved, or at least restored, for all persons adversely affected by the project. Annex 12 of the Project Appraisal Document (PAD) reviews adverse impacts related to land acquisition or changes in land use for the project, and the arrangements proposed in the Resettlement Action Plan to mitigate them. Related public consultation and disclosure activities are also summarized. Impacts and rehabilitation. With respect to impacts, the project will require 510 mu (34 hectares) of land (along with use of 2,013 mu, or 134 - 10 -  hectares, of existing right-of-way). This includes acquisition of 197.5 mu (about 13 hectares) of rural land, of which 100.8 mu (about 7 hectares) is cultivated, and transfer of 312.5 mu (about 21 hectares) of urban land-use rights. Acquisition of cultivated land will directly affect 53 households (218 individuals). Structural demolition is expected to total 151,207 square meters, including 57,615 square meters of residential housing. A total of 854 households (3,492 individuals) will need to be relocated. A total of 835 enterprises or work units will be affected by non-residential demolition or loss of land. Of the 854 households to be relocated, 261 (or 30.6%) are members of ethnic minorities. The project also will require relocation of one mosque. Disclosure. The draft RAP in English was received by the Bank prior to appraisal and discussed with UMG during the appraisal mission in January 2000. The appraisal mission confirmed the availability of the RAP in Chinese and Uygur in Urumqi. The final RAP in Chinese and Uygur, with an Annex summarizing Minority Issues, was placed in the Urumqi Public Library on January 20 2000. The final RAP in English was received by the Bank, (together with a letter from UMG authorizing its disclosure to the PIC), on February 4, 2000. The RAP was cleared on February 14, 2000, and made available to the public (through the PIC) on March 1, 2000. A revised RAP, which clarifies and elaborates on RAP arrangements as they relate to ethnic minorities was prepared in November 2000 and placed in the PIC on December 15. Socio-Economic Survey Because of the presence of ethnic minorities in the project area, in addition to the Public Consultation programs related to environmental and resettlement issues, a series of focus groups, household interviews, and transit passenger surveys were conducted as part of the socio-economic survey. The survey was undertaken by the Xinjiang Social Science Research Institute, a leading local social science research institute specializing in ethnic minorities, in order to assess the transport-related needs, opinions, and attitudes and three other potentially vulnerable groups (floating/non-resident, women, and the poor). Surveys indicate that the public is supportive of the project and the proposals to reform public transport, and believe that the Ring Road will address traffic congestion, while public transport reform will lead to more choices and more routes for the people in the area. With respect to key research concerns about the affordability of bus fares, respondents from each group, except the poor, indicated that they were willing to pay somewhat more than current fares for service improvements. The Study also identified the need for public transport service improvements for under-served areas. The results of the surveys will be incorporated into the route network study in the public transport component of the project. Ethnic Minorities Urumqi, the capital of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, is ethnically diverse. In addition to Uygurs, persons from 44 other minorities reside in the city, with the minority population comprising 27% of the total. Ethnic relations are sensitive. From the beginning, the task team has been aware of the need for careful preparation particularly in two components that pose potential issues of inter-ethnic equity. In Component - A Road Network, - 11 -  there are resettlement-related impacts associated with ring road construction. These resettlement-related issues have been subject to repeated scrutiny, as explained in the RAP and summarized in Annex 12. In Component C - Public Transport, the issues relate to changes in bus fares and services associated with public transport reform. Through social assessment, travel preferences and patterns of minority nationalities have been examined, as summarized in Annex 14 of the PAD (attached). The results are to be factored into reform strategies to be detailed during project implementation. Annex 15 of the PAD provides an overview of issues relating to minority nationalities. Contact Persons Lead Executing Agency World Bank Urumqi Urban Transport Improvement Project Executive Office (PEO) No. 88, Xinmin West Street Urumqi, China Director PEO: Mr. Li Jinghua, Tel: (86-991) 461-5901 Fax: (86-991) 461-9200 Email: lijinhua@public.wl.xj.cn The World Bank 1818 H Street, NW Washington, DC, USA Task Team leader: Edward Dotson Tel: (1-202) 458-4038 Fax: (1-202) 522-3573 Email: edotson@worldbank.org This PID was processed by the InfoShop during the week ending December 29, 2000. - 12 -