Traffic planning of Kejetia: The piccadilly circus of Kumasi, Ghana

Abstract

This article derives from a study concerned with the traffic implications of a proposed redevelopment of the Central Market in Ghana's second largest city, Kumasi, which is situated almost in the geographic centre of the country. The market adjoins a big roundabout which is located at the point of intersection not only of north-south national routes but also at a point on which most of the city's main roads carrying cross-town traffic converge. The problem of traffic in terms of accessibility and environment is described in relation to the functions of the market. This is compared with a similar situation in London's Piccadilly Circus. Based on the results of traffic surveys and an analysis of the urban structure, alternative solutions to the problem in Kumasi are examined and tested using traffic assignment techniques. Consequently, on the basis of accessibility and environmental requirements, proposals are made as to the best line of action to take. The article ends with some lessons of the study.