Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Project: An Alternative to Road Traffic Congestion along Mararaba-Nyanya-Abuja Highway, Nigeria
Ogah, A. T, Adana, M.Y,and Magaji. J. I.
Department of Geography
Nasarawa State University, PMB 1022, Keffi
Email:tankogah@yahoo.com
ABSTRACT
Bus rapid transit (BRT, BRTS, bus way, transit way) is a bus-base mass transit system that meets certain conditions. A true BRT system generally has specialized design, services and infrastructure to improve system quality and remove the typical causes of delay. Sometimes described as a “surface subway”. BRT aims to combine the capacity and speed of a metro with the flexibility, lower cost and simplicity of a bus system. The methodology adopted was a simple stratified random sampling technique used and 300 road commuters were interviewed including motor drivers of all kind, public and private workers and students commuting the road. The research employed cluster sampling method which deliberately includes people of similar characteristics in the location. The results of the analysis revealed that time wastage, increased accidents, lost of working hours, pollution, fatigue, lateness, delays, fuel consumption and blocked traffic due to passage of emergency vehicles were the major problems of road traffic congestion. Furthermore, the results suggest that BRT project can reduce the menace. In conclusion the research has shown that relationships exist between the research variables. From the explanations and figures in the analysis, it is evident that road traffic congestion has an impact on social/economic aspects. The study also recommends that the Federal government and the Nasarawa State government should implement this project and make a priority so as to reduce the suffering of the commuters.
Key words: BRT, lateness, delays, commuters, metro, subway.
