CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background to the Study

It is well known that vehicle speeds depend on many factors relating to drivers, vehicles, and the roadway environment (Afolayan et al., 2024). In recent years, several studies have been conducted to develop operating speed prediction models for two-lane rural roads (Malaghan et al., 2020; Tottadi & Mehar, 2022; Afolayan et al., 2024). Many factors have been found to affect operating speed, including the radius of the horizontal curve or curvature change rate, grade, length of horizontal curve, deflection angle, sight distance, superelevation rate, side friction factor, and pavement conditions (Malaghan et al., 2020; Tottadi & Mehar, 2022).

The spatial differences of phenomena on the earth's surface indicate that different parts of the earth provide various products that people need. Goods and services can only be obtained by moving them to the point of demand and supply, and this is made possible primarily through transport (Tiza et al., 2022). Transportation is the movement of goods and services from a point of origin to a desired destination. Transport industries exist to provide for the movement of people and goods and for the distribution of services, and transport thereby fulfils one of the most important functions and is one of the most pervasive activities in any society or economy (Tiza et al., 2022). It is hardly possible for any human society or settlement to function efficiently without an adequate, reliable, and affordable transport system, and the efficiency of any transport system depends on its infrastructure and services (Tiza et al., 2022).

Road transport is a very important sub-sector of transportation in Nigeria. It is the most prevalent mode of transportation for people, goods, and services, with the benefit of both time and value-chain addition.

Nigeria's road network dates back to the early twentieth century. Roads built under British colonial administration were designed principally to move goods from the hinterlands to the coast for export to industries in the United Kingdom, and the network was subsequently expanded after independence in 1960 to improve access to cities and large towns (Tiza et al., 2022). Nigeria has one of the largest road networks in West Africa; current industry estimates place the network at approximately 195,000 kilometres, classified across Trunk 'A' (federal), Trunk 'B' (state), and Trunk 'C' (local government) roads, of which only about 37% are estimated to be in good condition, with the remaining 63% in disrepair (Agusto & Co., 2022).

Nigeria's road infrastructure continues to face significant challenges despite this classification and ongoing government investment. Nationwide industry assessment shows that a large share of the network suffers from inadequate maintenance, resulting in cracked pavements, potholes, and deteriorated drainage that slow traffic and raise the cost and risk of road transport (Agusto & Co., 2022). Overuse and a persistent lack of routine maintenance continue to erode the quality of the federal highway network in particular, even where selected sections have periodically been rehabilitated (Agusto & Co., 2022; Alaba & Charles, 2023).

The presence of an adequate, reliable, and efficient transport system is a critical factor in local economic development. A well-developed transportation infrastructure provides adequate access to local communities, which is a necessary condition for the efficient operation of manufacturing, retail, labour, and housing markets; empirical evidence from a large-scale rural road investment programme confirms that improved road access raises local, non-farm economic activity (Asher & Novosad, 2020). Road infrastructure has similarly been identified as an important predictor of a country's overall economic growth and prosperity (Nawir et al., 2023). This can only be realised if road infrastructure is in good standing to support the movement of people, goods, and services. Therefore, this study intends to assess factors affecting the proposed road alignment in Lagos State, with specific interest in the state, types, functionality, and distribution of such road alignment vis-à-vis the kerbs, culverts, camber (cross slope), traffic lights, road signs, road marking, median, shoulder, zebra crossing, roundabout (intersections), bridges, overhead bridges, and pedestrian bridges.

1.2 Statement of the Research Problem

Studies measuring the quantitative relationship between growth in transport infrastructure and total economic growth using econometric production-function models remain an active area of research. Using a multivariate regression and Granger causality framework on Nigerian time-series data from 1985 to 2022, Alaba and Charles (2023) found that road transportation had a significant positive impact on economic growth in Nigeria, with a unidirectional causal relationship running from government expenditure on road infrastructure to real gross domestic product, and a further causal link between road transport sector output and gross fixed capital formation. Similarly, applying an Autoregressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) framework to Pakistani data, Alam et al. (2021) found a positive causal relationship between transportation infrastructure and economic development, reinforcing the broader evidence that transport investment is an effective factor of production in developing economies.

The importance of road alignment has long been recognised as crucial to promoting growth and development, given its wide-ranging influence on productivity, income generation, and quality of life. However, this role depends largely on the extent to which road infrastructure is adequately provided, distributed over space, and maintained (Nawir et al., 2023).

To the best knowledge of the researcher, only a limited number of studies have attempted an assessment of road alignment in Lagos State, and most have relied on secondary sources of data alone. For instance, Odesanya and Edoreh (2020) assessed road transport infrastructure along a single corridor in Lagos State and found it inadequate and in poor condition overall, but, like most comparable studies, their assessment was restricted to a small number of infrastructure elements along one corridor. This research, in contrast, assesses the state, types, functionality, and distribution by zones of thirteen (13) road alignment elements in Lagos State and draws on both primary and secondary sources of data.

Federal highways in Lagos State have been plagued by a number of road infrastructure problems, with the major ones being faulty designs, inadequate drainage systems, uneven distribution by zones, and poor maintenance culture all of which have significantly reduced the ability of the roads to perform their function; there are potholes, washed-away pavements, fallen bridges, and old-age deterioration, among other problems. These problems have made it difficult, expensive, and more hazardous to move products and services from points of production to consumption, and farm produce from rural to urban centres, often leading to loss of man-hours and higher costs of goods and services. It is against this background that this study intends to assess factors affecting the proposed road alignment in Lagos State.

1.3 Aim and Objectives

The aim of this study is to assess the factors affecting the proposed road alignment in Lagos State. This aim will be achieved through the following objectives which are to;

i. Highlight the state of Road alignment in Lagos state.

ii. Characterize the types of Road alignment in Lagos state.

iii. Assess the functional standard of the proposed Road alignment in Lagos state

iv. Determine the distribution of the proposed Road alignment in Lagos State

1.4 Research questions

The following questions will guide this research on factors affecting the proposed road alignment in Lagos state and are set as follows:

i. What is the state of Road alignment in Lagos state?

ii. What are the types of Road alignment in Lagos state?

iii. What is the functional standard of the proposed Road alignment in Lagos state?

iv. How are the proposed Road alignment distributed in Lagos State?

1.5 Justification of the Study

Road transportation remains the main mode of transportation among other modes in Lagos State. The importance of road maintenance in achieving efficient road transport delivery cannot be overemphasised, as the consequences of neglect are enormous and costly.

While many attempts have been made by transportation experts in the country to reduce the chaotic and unpleasant state of road alignment, these attempts have had limited impact on the problems associated with road furniture.

To the best knowledge of the researcher, only a few studies have attempted an assessment of road alignment in Lagos State; for example, Odesanya and Edoreh (2020) assessed road infrastructure along a single Lagos corridor, restricting their scope to a small set of infrastructure elements.

This research will assess the state, types, functionality, and distribution of thirteen (13) road alignment elements in Lagos State. This research therefore becomes imperative, as it will identify the problems associated with the roads under study and make positive recommendations to government for necessary action.

1.6 Scope of the Study

The study examined the assessment of factors affecting the proposed road alignment in Lagos State. This study focused on the proposed Regional Road, Lekki Corridor.

The study focused on assessing thirteen (13) Road Infrastructure in Lagos state with the intension of assessing some major road infrastructure like; Kerbs, Culverts, Camber, Traffic light, Road signs, Road marking, Median, Shoulder, Zebra, Round-about, Bridges, Overhead bridges, and Pedestrian bridges. It not intended to assess the structural and designing technicality of the highway or assess the method and accuracy of construction. It simply assess/analyzed the state, types and functionality and the distribution by zones of the selected Road alignment in Lagos State. Opinions of respondents and relevant stakeholders in the study areas was rely upon.

REFERENCES

Afolayan, A., Abiola, O. S., Easa, S. M., Alayaki, F. M., & Folorunso, O. (2024). Operating-speed models for horizontal curves on two-lane rural highways: Case study in Nigeria. In R. Gupta et al. (Eds.), Proceedings of the Canadian Society of Civil Engineering Annual Conference 2022 (pp. 541–558). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-34027-7_36

Agusto & Co. (2022). 2022 transport infrastructure industry report. https://www.agustoresearch.com/report/2022-transport-infrastructure-industry-report/

Alaba, A., & Charles, A. (2023). Impact of road transportation on Nigerian economic growth: 1985–2022. International Journal of Transport Economics, 7(1), 156–165.

Alam, K. M., Li, X., Baig, S., Ghanem, O., & Hanif, S. (2021). Causality between transportation infrastructure and economic development in Pakistan: An ARDL analysis. Research in Transportation Economics, 88(1).

Asher, S., & Novosad, P. (2020). Rural roads and local economic development. American Economic Review, 110(3), 797–823. https://doi.org/10.1257/aer.20180268

Malaghan, V., Pawar, D. S., & Dia, H. (2020). Modeling operating speed using continuous speed profiles on two-lane rural highways in India. Journal of Transportation Engineering, Part A: Systems, 146(11). https://doi.org/10.1061/JTEPBS.0000447

Nawir, D., Bakri, M. D., & Syarif, I. A. (2023). Central government role in road infrastructure development and economic growth in the form of future study: The case of Indonesia. City, Territory and Architecture, 10, Article 12. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40410-022-00188-9

Odesanya, J. F., & Edoreh, R. T. (2020). Assessment of road transport infrastructure in Lagos State. Indian Journal of Engineering, 17(47), 182–192.

Tiza, M. T., Terlumun, S., Jiya, V., Onuzulike, C., Ogunleye, E., & Akande, E. (2022). Investigation of the role of road transport in the Nigerian economy. Aksaray Üniversitesi İktisadi ve İdari Bilimler Fakültesi Dergisi, 14(4), 451–460. https://doi.org/10.52791/aksarayiibd.983514

Tottadi, K. K., & Mehar, A. (2022). Operating speed: Review and recommendations for future research. Innovative Infrastructure Solutions, 7(1), Article 67. https://doi.org/10.1007/s41062-021-00669-9