Implementation Strategies Adopted by Public Roads Agencies for Enhancing Durability of Road Networks in Kenya

Abstract

The concept of strategy implementation has attracted much less attention in strategic and organization research, than strategy formulation and strategic planning. According to Alexander (2008), strategy implementation is less glamorous than strategy formulation. This is because people overlook it because of a belief that anyone can do it. People are not exactly sure what it includes and where it begins and ends. The objective of the study was to find out the extent of adoption of implementation strategies by public road agencies to enhance durability of road network in Kenya, to assess the impact of adoption of implementation strategies that enhances durability of road network in Kenya and to identify the main challenges that hinder adoption of implementation strategies by public road agencies to enhance durability of road network in Kenya. The literature review was based on authoritative, recent and original sources such as journals, books, thesis and dissertation. Cross sectional survey design was used to structure the research and population of the study was all the six public road agencies in Kenya. Each public road agency was given one questionnaire and the respondents were the senior managers involved in construction and maintenance of roads. All the six questionnaires sent were returned completed representing a 100% response rate. The data was analysed by employing descriptive statistics such as measures of central tendency, measure of frequency and Pearson correlation squares. Excel spread sheet and SPSS package was used to aid in analysis. The information was presented and discussed as per the objectives and research questions of the study. Findings of the study indicated that a majority of public road agencies have adopted the following implementation strategies to a great extent: Routine maintenance of roads network on yearly basis, outsourcing maintenance works to road construction companies and developments of an annual work plan on maintenance of roads. It is worth to note that the axle load control implementation strategies, road reserve protection implementation strategies and traffic volume control implementation strategies are all adopted to a moderate or low extent and this could perhaps explain why the road condition deteriorate faster after they are constructed. The finding further shows that the average adoption of road maintenance implementation strategies is moderate , while axle road control implementation strategies was adopted to a low extent. Equally the road reserve protection implementation strategies and traffic control implementation strategies were all adopted to a low extent. The finding further indicated that there is reduction in the number of potholes and cracks in road surface when these implementation strategies are adopted. Other impacts were reduction in the level of pavement deterioration, reduced drainage blockage and reduced level of rutting in road surface. However all these impacts depended on the implementation strategies adopted. The results also show that there is a strong positive correlation between adoption of implementation strategies and durability of road networks with adoption of road maintenance implementation strategies being the most significant factor influencing durability of road networks followed by road reserve protection strategies then axle load control and finally traffic control strategies. The main challenges identified as hindering adoption of implementation strategies by public road agencies to enhance durability of road network are: Inadequate resources, Resources not released on time, Political interference on road related decisions and encroachment on road reserves.