Spatially informed light rail transit planning for the Colombo Fort - Malabe corridor in Sri Lanka

Abstract

Globally Light Rail Transit (LRT) is recognized as a long-term sustainable solution to address transportation-related problems such as traffic congestion, greenhouse gas emissions, rising fuel costs, and limited public transit accessibility. This article highlights how geospatial technologies, specifically GIS and remote sensing, are shaping a new era of LRT planning. Using the proposed Fort-Malabe LRT project in the Colombo Metropolitan Area (CMA), this study demonstrates how Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) based Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA) can be used to optimise the LRT lines. By incorporating and systematically weighting various factors from different criteria including engineering, environmental, socio-economic, urban structure and accessibility, this approach minimizes the environmental and social disruption while maximizing the accessibility and efficiency, thereby laying the foundation for a future-ready urban transport system.