Managing Urban Traffic Congestion: A Case Study Of Lan`dhies -Jogoo Road Corridor

Abstract

Nairobi is an economically dynamic urban area with rapid urbanization and population growth persisting over the recent years. This has encouraged increased demand for goods and services and hence increase urban mobility and movement of people within the city. Economic prosperity and social development generate the need for increased urban mobility. This demand promotes the use of private vehicles. Consequently, the increases in demand for transportation plays an important role in producing traffic congestion and degrading the urban environment within the city. Huge traffic snarl-ups, accidents, loss of productive man-hours, air pollution from both hooting vehicles and their exhaust pipe emissions are factors that contribute to Nairobi’s inefficient urban transport system. Congestion management policies are paramount to enhance the management and performance of highly trafficked roads. The overall objective is to assess how traffic congestion is managed within Nairobi City, a case of a selected corridor-Landhies- Jogoo Roads. In assessing the management of urban traffic congestion within Nairobi City, the specific objectives that guided the research are: examining the nature of traffic congestion along Landhies-Jogoo roads; evaluate existing traffic management strategies and their operationalization; propose effective traffic management policy framework. To achieve the objectives, a mixed-method approach incorporating qualitative and quantitative analysis was employed. In-depth literature reviews were done as well as a collection of primary data through field surveys, observation techniques, photography and administration of questionnaires. Key Informant Interviews were administered targeting traffic management policymakers, policy enforcers and transport operators. The study analyses the findings and concludes by giving a wide range of congestion management policy-oriented proposals, which focus on the characterisation of congestion in its wider context, congestion impacts, traffic management frameworks, institutional framework, and enforcement. These recommendations and implementation points are geared towards addressing the problems facing the Landhies-Jogoo roads as a case study for the larger Nairobi Transit Corridors. Thus, it is the view of this research that long-term land-use and transport planning objectives and frameworks should be integrated and crafted to promote coordination with congestion management policies and guidelines.