The Influence of Street Design on Pedestrians in Selected Areas of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
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Date
2021-06
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
The design of streets is one of the most crucial aspects of urban planning. Street, land use, and transportation planning should all be done in collaboration. In many locations in Addis Ababa, pedestrian amenities are insufficient, aside from the fact that walking is the most popular mode of transit. The city of Addis Ababa has a car-oriented street design, a lack of an effective public transportation system. The city's streets are usually broad, with few pedestrian crossings, junctions, or freeway traffic devices and the bulk of crashes and accidents occur.
This study assesses the influence of street design on pedestrians, including different facilities on streets, walkways, safety, and public transport access in selected areas of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The descriptive survey method allows the researcher to conduct quantitative and qualitative analyses of data. For this study, the student researcher used both primary and secondary data sources; the primary data was gathered through surveys and interviews. Secondary data was obtained from an insightful audit of recorded accident data sources. The study employed a questionnaire that included 422 sample street users in Addis Ababa, in the study areas, and 30 key informants from departments dealing with urban street design and implementation. The data collected from the sample population was more quantitative, and it was done with the help of the program, SPSS, for descriptive statistics, including frequency and percentile, using tables and figures. The qualitative data is analyzed by interpreting, summarizing, and generalizing.
The result revealed the inadequacy of urban street design in the study area. 90% lack of space for parking lots and for public space, and 83.5% not using enough lanes for walkways and 71.8% public transport, 78.1% inadequate pedestrian facilities, 23.3% prioritization of the automobile transport system, 56.7% lack of participation by key stakeholders, and 73.3% inadequate resource allocation are the main challenges in urban street design implementation. Furthermore, the survey response revealed a lack of knowledge of the guidelines used for street design by street planners. Therefore, they need to invest in implementing an urban street design that supports public space, facilities, safety, and a green environment for their citizens. In addition, the city finance department needs to work on resource allocation through annual budgeting for urban street design projects. Proper street design and implementation can help lay the groundwork for a city that is more economically, socially, and environmentally friendly, as well as more productive, healthy, and appealing to pedestrians.
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The Influence of Street Design on Pedestrians in Selected Areas