The mediating effect of traffic congestion severity on economic cost: case sudy in nifas silklafto sub-city, addis ababa Ethiopia

Abstract

Transportation services are highly needed for human beings in day-to-day activities. It takes the lion share in the economy, social and political development activities. Now a day, transportation service is challenged by many factors that affect the transportation effectiveness. From those factors, traffic congestion is one of the major problems in the transportation system development due to different reasons in both developed and developing countries. This study focused on examining the mediating effect of traffic congestion severity on economic cost: case study in Nifas silk Lafto sub-city, Addis Ababa Ethiopia. To achieve this objective, descriptive and explanatory research design with both qualitative and quantitative approach was used in the study. The study used Convenience sampling method to get a sample of 385respondents. Data was collected from primary and secondary sources. The primary data was collected from respondents by using Likert scale type questionnaire, interview, field measurement and traffic flow raw data was used as source of secondary data. Descriptive statistics such as means, frequency and standard deviation and inferential statistics (correlation, regression and structural equation model) by using Statistical Package for Social Sciences and Analysis of Moment of structure was used to analyze data. Based on the analysis of the result, the key cause of traffic congestion at Jemo Michael intersection are road condition, population numbers increase, vehicles numbers increase, insufficient traffic management and Parking problem. Level of traffic congestion at Jemo and Germen approach is very highly congested approach (F-level of service), on the other hand Ayer tena and Lideta approach are E level of service. When we look economic cost of traffic congestion, the total extra fuel consumption 217,640 lit and cost of extra fuel consumption per year at Jemo Michael intersection 4,352,814ETB.Additionally,total extra travel time loss 497,124.1minute(8285.4hours) and economic cost of congestion wasted travel time at Jemo Michael intersection is 25,891,656.25 ETB. The main mitigation way of traffic congestion is improving width of the existing road capacity, building new alternative road and developing parking management strategies. Encouraging mass transportation system and working on capacity building of traffic management with improve traffic management strategies are other mitigating strategies.