Onitsha Urban Road Transport System: Implications for Urban Transport Planning
Ikegbunam, Florence Ifeoma

Abstract
This paper investigated the Onitsha urban road vehicular transport system. The parameters of study are the route ways or travel ways, the terminal facilities, the rolling stocks and their associated variables. The methodology of study was direct field observation and measurement. The city was segregated into five traffic zones. Roads in the traffic zones were aggregated. Using stratified random sampling technique; eight arterial roads and two freeways were selected for study. Eleven hours of traffic count were undertaken by manual devices, from 7a.m through 6p.m from Monday through Saturday on each of them. The null hypothesis that there is no significant relationship between traffic congestion and hourly flow of traffic was validated using Pearson’s Product Moment correlation. The result obtained was tested for significance using student t-test. The results show positive correlation between traffic congestion and hourly flow of traffic for seven roads; and a negative correlation for three roads. Environmental problems arising from urban road transportation in Onitsha were evaluated with policy implications and recommendations made.

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