Transit, walking and cycling infrastructure and sustainable development in Enugu city, Nigeria

Abstract

In a predominantly urban world, people’s ability to move within cities is a critical driver of sustainability. The transportation system which constitutes a large percentage of the physical urban environment provides mobility and aid economic sector. However, it contributes to several major environmental pressures including pollution, congestion, accidents, waste accumulation, resources depletion and disruption of nature. While urban population growth and increase in economic activities combine to generate higher demand for transportation services and heighten the problem. How to effectively deal with these imposing threats and simultaneously provide optimal mobility for city dwellers is the backbone of this research. Drawing experiences from developed cities, the study used Achara layout in Enugu as a case study. From observation, surveys and published literature data were collected and analysed qualitatively. The primary data include, physical traffic count, existing road character, traffic infrastructure and demographic statistics. Findings show the extensive sterility of Enugu’s urban infrastructure to motorized traffic and lack of provision for walking and cycling. It recommends strategies for planning and managing the urban environment which recognizes and acknowledged the social, environmental and economic realities. The conclusion demonstrates that cities designed for pedestrians and cyclist are cities designed for people and sustainable development.