Impact of Road Dualization on Mobility of Households in Ikeja, Nigeria

Abstract

ABSTRACT

Many non-dualized roads are being dualized to accommodate population explosion of cities. This research examines the impact of road dualization on mobility of households in Ikeja. The study utilized primary and secondary data which were subjected to descriptive and inferential statistics. Systematic sampling technique was used to administered 384 copies of questionnaires to residents in purposely selected areas (Ikeja, Opebi and Ojudu) with recent dualized roads. Factors of Road Dualization Index (FRDI), and Impact of Road Dualization Index (IRDI) were used to examine the factors influencing road dualization and the impact on mobility of households. ANOVA was used to test the variation on the impact of road dualization on households. The result revealed that more than half (52.6%) of the households use car as their mode of transport before road dualization while the figure increases to 67.2% after the road was dualized with a drastic reduction in the use of bicycle, tricycle and motorcycle. There is a significant variation (F = 5.36, P = 0.006 at 0.5%) on mobility of households. Majority of the roads were not in good condition before they were dualized with several factors such as road accidents, presence of potholes, narrowness of road, poor traffic indicators and congestion being the major factors for the road dualization. Advantages of road dualization in the study area are: creation of employment opportunities; increase in economic activities and infrastructural development. Impact of road dualization are: displacements of households, loss of biodiversity, increase transport infrastructure and employment opportunities among others. While, variation exits (P value < the confidence value = 0.005) across the three sampled locations. The study recommends households education, compensation for displaced households, reforestation etc. This will reduce the negative impacts of road dualization on households.