Road Infrastructural Development and Traffic Patterns in Bamenda - A Cameroonian Medium City
Authors/Creators
- 1. Laboratory of Environment, Hazards and Sustainable Development, Department of Geography, Faculty of Letters and Social Sciences, Box 3132, Douala, University of Douala
- 2. Department of Geography, Higher Teachers Training College, Bambili, Box 63, the University of Bamend
Description
Road mode of transport dominates African and Cameroonian cities but unequally developed to portray sturdy spatiotemporal variation trends. This assessment of the negative development ramifications of traffic congestion along road axis of Bamenda is carried out through a sample survey of road users from September to October 2014. Field observation and sampling on traffic trend variables indicate that technical factors play over infrastructural variables to trigger mobility flow bottlenecks and trends. Statistical treatment of primary and secondary data depicts unequal daily/seasonal variation with distance from city centre being higher in the rainy season and school periods than dry seasons and holidays. Traffic flow and congestion is higher along the NE than NW road axis with significant socio-economic consequences road users such as weakening of income, lateness, emotional and psychological stress, accidents, and material damage as well as pollution. This study opts for a holistic approach to mitigate traffic problems using structural and non-structural measures.