Challenges and Prospects of Traffic Management Practices of Addis Ababa City Administration
Creators: name: Yilma, Hagere
Publisher: name: National Academic Digital Repository of Ethiopia
Year: 2014

description: Urban transport is very crucial for the movement of goods and people which make the backbone of the economy and sustainable development. However transport system creates some problems like accident, congestion, environmental pollution if not properly managed. Hence, the transport system of Addis Ababa city has shown evidence of traffic problems like accident, congestion, environmental pollution etc. that are created due to improper driving practice of operators, lack of sufficient infrastructure, lack of regulatory framework etc. . Thus, the main aim of this study is to assess the traffic management practice of the city and the challenges that hinder the efficient implementation of the practice considering the existing traffic problem observed in the city. The study also seeks to identify the prospect measures that are planned to be undertake in the future. Both primary and secondary data sources were used to collect data. While, questionnaire and semi-structured interviews were used for collecting primary data, internal documents were reviewed for secondary data .Purposive sampling technique was used to select respondents from Addis Ababa Transport Bureau and random sampling technique was used to select operators of vehicles in the selected area of the city road as respondent. Hence qualitative methods were employed to analyze the data. Accordingly, the study found the traffic management practice of the city is very weak and it is at rudimentary stage. However, there are some initiations which are employed to control the existing traffic problem in the city in terms of engineering, enlightenment and enforcement programs. Thus, those practices are not adequately employed with respect to the magnitude of the problem the city faces like accidents, congestions, parking etc. Therefore the study further seeks for the major problems that hinder the traffic management practices as it is required. Hence it is found that there are various internal and external factors that hamper the undeveloped management practice of the city. These challenges are categorized as internal and external. Thus, not having a defined organization structure, lack of sufficient and competent manpower, lack of operational and implementation resource, not supported by modern technology are the major internal factors. Similarly the practice has some external factors like lack of integration among stakeholders, lack of recognition, weak enforcement capability, and lack of integrated transport planning which distract the efficient practice. Thus based on the findings as a recommendation the requirement for the recognition of traffic management with innovative and responsive policies with city wide power, responsibility and staffing; the need for taking in to account the application of full range of traffic management measure, the need to have a framework (architecture) that describe all step needed to achieve effective traffic management are the major recommendations forwarded by the study