Influence of Environmental Impact Assessment on Sustainability of Transport Infrastructure Projects: a Case of Standard Gauge Railway Project, Kenya

Abstract

Despite contributions of the infrastructure projects to the economy, infrastructure projects continue to encounter sustainability issues as a result of a lack of openness in how to mitigate and monitor project environmental impacts, discrepancies in EIA protocols, and an EIA process that can be difficult to comprehend or replicate. Lack of environmental screening, scoping, impact prediction, and post-project environmental impact evaluation can result in economic, social, and mortality concerns, as well as cumulative and intergenerational repercussions. This study used the Kenyan Standard Gauge Railway project to evaluate influence of environmental impact assessments on sustainability of transportation infrastructure projects. The study's topic is introduced in chapter one; literature review is covered in chapter two; and the research technique is covered in chapter three. Chapter five offers results summary, discussions, conclusions, and suggestions, whereas chapter four covers data analysis, presentations, and interpretations. Examining the impact of environmental screening, environmental scoping, environmental impact prediction, and post-EIA project review on the sustainability of transport infrastructure projects were the precise objectives that served as the basis for the work. Descriptive research approach was utilized. The study's target audience consisted of 141 respondents, including 27 Ministry of Roads and Infrastructure officials, 24 project managers, 28 project supervisors, 16 contractors, 33 environmental consultants, and 13 National Construction Authority officials. The size of sample for the investigation was determined using the Yamane's formula for a limited population. The sample size was 133 respondents, and to get samples of respondents from the various strata, stratified and simple random sampling were utilized. The main tool was a questionnaire. Peer review and evaluation by research experts, including the research supervisor, were used to evaluate the instrument's content validity and make sure that it was appropriate and pertinent to the study. In this inquiry, dependability was established by method of internal consistency. Cronbach's alpha coefficient was calculated to assess how the items connected with one another. Qualitative and quantitative data analysis approaches were employed because the research collected both types of data. Both descriptive and inferential statistics, including the regression model, were used for analysis. Descriptive statistics included frequencies, percentages, means, and standard deviation. A regression model was used to perform inferential statistics. The data presentation was done in tables. The aims of the study were taken into consideration when dominating themes emerged through analysis of qualitative data. The findings of the study demonstrated that there was a statistical significant positive correlation between environmental screening process on sustainability of the SGR project (r=0.622, p<0.05); there was a statistical significant positive effect of environmental scoping process on sustainability of the SGR project (r=0.631; p<0.05); there was a statistical significant positive effect of environmental impact prediction on sustainability of the SGR project (r=0.411; p<0.05) and there was a statistical significant positive effect of post environment impact assessment preview on sustainability of the SGR project (r=0.597; p<0.05). The study found that creating checklists helps with decision-making before a project is approved for execution; collecting baseline data is done for every project that will be performed; and identifying project impacts is done before the project even starts. Upon consideration of a project, environmental issues are brought up to ensure that all concerns are addressed as the project moves forward to execution. In order to attain sustainability, this research advises project managers to use adequate EIA in their individual future projects.