Abstract
Transport is the cornerstone of civilization, and the importance of transport infrastructure to a nation cannot be overemphasized, as efficient transport infrastructure and network facilities act as catalysts for development. The all-embracing phenomenon called transportation is a measure of the relationship between places. Transportation performs the role of linking supply and demand. As a means of conveying people, goods and information through places, the provision of transport facilities and services is very crucial to the economic, political, social and cultural life of any country or nation. Thus considered, transport contributes to the overall development of a country since it serves as an essential means of collecting, moving, transferring and distributing people as well as goods from place to place.
The rapid urbanization around the world means that more people will be making more trips in urban areas. Since transportation is the lifeline of any urban society, it could make or mar the environment depending on the interactive measures and degree of responsiveness to transport planning and management in urban development. It is central to the flow of knowledge, information and commercial goods. The type of available transport, and how they are used, tells a great deal about a society and its values. (Oni 2003). Also, transportation is an essential part of human activity, and in many ways forms the basis of all socio-economic interactions. Indeed, no two locations will interact effectively without a viable means of movement. In many developing countries, inadequate transport facilities are often the norm rather than the exception.
Road transport is the most commonly used mode of transportation in Nigeria today. Road traffic depends on the pattern of human settlements, accounting for more than 90 per cent of the sub-sector’s contribution to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Road transport activities involve the conveyance of passengers’ en-masse or in small numbers, the transportation of animals, farm produce and merchandise and the rendering of mobile services (clinics, libraries and banks). The optional use of motor cars for pleasure, which can be distinguished from the three uses listed above, also contributes tremendously to the importance of road transport in Nigeria. This is more predominant in Nigeria than in most other African countries because of the poor state of alternative means of transportation by which journeys could have been made, and also due to the psychological satisfaction offered by the possession of a car. Thus, a good transport system is essential to support economic growth and development.
This paper therefore describes and explains in detail road transportation infrastructure and planning in Nigeria from 1981-2014, highlighting the successes and challenges of the different planning strategies carried out.
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