Evaluation of roadside drainage problem and its remedies: a case study on jimma to agaro

Abstract

Roadside drainage channels perform the vital function of diverting or removing surface water from the highway right-of-way. Effective side drains will reduce the need for maintenance by preventing deterioration of the surface and will provide a drier and hence safer road. They should provide the most efficient disposal system consistent with cost, importance of the road, economy of maintenance, and legal requirements. This study was needed, for the reason of study area road user’s and residents are suffering by the problem of runoff that damage both pavements and resident’s properties, because of inadequate roadside drainage. The objective of the study was to evaluate roadside water drainage problems and come up with remedial measures along the study area .The research study was focused on Jimma to Agaro road section from April, 2016 to February2017. The data collected was then be analyzed quantitatively and qualitatively. The purposive sampling techniques were used to distribute questionnaires and in order to achieve the desired objective, a systematic methodology was adopted which includes, analysis of hydraulic capacity for existing side drains, field observation and questionnaires was carried out. The major flood prone areas for the road side drainage problem are Yebu town, Bosa Addis keteme kebele in Jimma Town, Mane worede Mantine kebele, Gembe town,and Agaro town entrance by ascending order which were evidenced from the field observation. A number of effects of poor roadside drainage were include flooding which destroys residents property, dirtying the vehicle of the road users and pavement distress. Factors that have contributed to problem of roadside drainage along the study area to a large extent are increased presence of Garbage and polythene bags along the road, Construction of unplanned houses, topography of the study area and insufficient discharge capacity of existing roadside drains. Clean up all the existing roadside drainage, constructing planned house and re construction roadside drainage with good hydraulic capacity can mitigate this problem.