Analysis of Traffic Congestion and its Economic Cost in Addis Ababa A Case Study of Meskel Square to Kality Interchange
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Date
2017-03
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
Cities in the world have faced many challenges like traffic congestion, air pollution, noise
pollution and accidents. These challenges especially traffic congestion, is however, expected to
aggravate in the nearest future. Due to congestion commuters travel time and vehicle operating
costs increase with fuel consumption and emission rates increase with pollutants increases.
Following its economic development, Addis Abba has faced traffic congestion problems which
cause chronic problems to both the road users and non-users. This paper mainly focuses on
traffic congestion analysis and its economic cost by addressing traffic congestion causes, effects,
patters and especially its economic cost on the North-South corridor of Addis Ababa. In order to
analyze traffic congestion, travel time approach was used whereas analysis of level of service
analysis was made using SIDRA intersection based on delay. Afterward, traffic cost is calculated
considering delay to passenger vehicles which includes operating costs, extra fuel wasted due to
congestion, delay to truck vehicles including operating cost, extra fuel wasted due to congestion
by truck, business cost and finally environmental cost of traffic congestion. Then finally,
measures to mitigate traffic congestion are recommended based on questionnaire and field visit
study.
Based on the analysis, it was found that total congestion cost including delay, wasted fuel and
operating cost of passenger vehicles and truck vehicles at each road segments on average is
about Birr 53.2 million per year. In addition, congestion has costs on the environment and
results show that when traffic congestion increases fuel consumption and emission of pollutants
increase.
From the different traffic congestion measures, improving current light rail transit is the most
important since by improving the current status of light rail transit, on the average Birr 25.5
million per year cost of congestion is saved and 11,281.20 kg of CO2 emission is reduced per
each road segment.
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Keywords
Meskel Square to Kality Maseltegna Interchange, Traffic Congestion, Economic Cost, Addis Ababa