Effects of land use on non-motorized transport patterns in Eldoret central business district.

Abstract

Non-motorized transport is a primary means of transportation for people in developing countries. Developing countries, including Kenya have prioritized vehicular mobility to the disadvantage of non-motorized transport which is more affordable. Motorized transport though popular does not provide a door-to-door access as does NMT. This thesis sought to evaluate the influence of land uses on non-motorized patterns within Eldoret Central Business District. The land use – transport nexus is dynamic process with land uses determining the location of activities accessed by people through the transport networks. Eldoret’s transport system is characterized by high population and stiff competition for limited road space among motorists, pedestrians and cyclists. Its high travel demand is occasioned by administrative, industrial, institutional, regional and local economic roles. Findings of this study are to inform urban governance in promotion on NMT and guide prioritization of provision of infrastructure along NMT hotspot zones and corridors. The municipality has been growing since its inception in 1958 from an area of 25km² to the gazetted municipal area of 148km². in 1969 its population stood at 18192 growing to 475716 in 2019. Traffic volume was surveyed along three key transport corridors with an aim of getting insights on NMT travel patterns for the CBD. From the survey, modal share, trip frequency, cross-tabulation of traffic volume versus time as well as trip purposes were analysed. Land uses influences travel patterns. As a consequence of growing municipality, land uses have transformed from expanding CBD to sprawling residential neighbourhoods. Uganda, Kisumu, Iten and Nandi roads are the key access routes and are characterized by inadequate NMT infrastructure. Where NMT facilities exist, its development is faced with non-aligned building lines, non-universality, lack of provision for different modes of NMT, utilization of pedestrian zones for vehicle parking and informal traders. Public transport is disorderly with over 15 terminals. Modal share findings places pedestrians at 95% while handcarts and cyclists constitute 1% and 4% respectively. MTRH, Paul’s bakery and Barngetuny plaza enumerating highest daily NMT traffic volumes. From the study, routine trips constitute 86% while irregular and production trips contribute 4% and 10% respectively. Shared road space, inadequate crossings and poor traffic separation is a challenge and results in traffic conflicts. Traffic calming facilities at crossings and separation of NMT modes is inadequate. In order to overcome the challenges, regional, municipal and CBD level recommendations are put forward. Regional proposals aim at decongesting the CBD through downgrading of Uganda road, promoting transit-oriented developments and long-term relocation of the industrial park. Municipal proposals aim at opening up roads for better traffic circulation through upgrading of ring roads, completion of missing links, developing public transport and parking strategy to release CBD space for NMT infrastructure development and use. This study further recommends development of safe, cohesive and comfortable multi-modal NMT infrastructure networked in on all pedestrian zones. It is further proposed that bi-cycle parking silos are developed at the termini to incentivize cycling given the gentle terrain across the municipality. Motorized traffic circulation has been altered through conversion of narrow streets from two-way to one-way streets and limiting of allowable turns at road intersections. Channelling of NMT traffic using a barrier along Uganda road to designated crossing points where traffic separation and calming facilities are proposed.