Transport-Land Use Research Study - Millennium Cities Initiative ...

The Accra Pilot BRT: Transport-Land Use Research Study
Millennium Cities Initiative and Accra Metropolitan Assembly
contribute to the difficulty of containing and regulating this issue (AMA Town and Country Planning, 30
July 2010).
Kaneshie today is a vibrant commercial hub of diverse activity, including the sale of a wide range of goods:
vehicle spare parts, housing and construction materials, electronics, groceries, beauty supplies and food and
drink and so forth. With the growth of Kaneshie as a commercial area, congestion has become a major issue
affecting transit through the area and commercial access and distribution. The congestion is particularly
heavy during peak periods in the morning and afternoon. Although the stretch of the road along this corridor
includes three lanes on either side, at any given point in time, only two lanes are realistically available for
traffic flow given other activities in the area.
Within the study area, sidewalk traders and commercial transport operators who utilize the street space were
identified as those who will be primarily affected by the BRT, particularly during the construction phase. A
2010 Mott McDonald study for the DUR on the impacts of the BRT on these stakeholders identified nearly
900 sidewalk traders along this stretch of the corridor and 180 commercial shops. The study predicts that
residential households, permanent commercial structures and building properties would not be affected. The
current BRT design also intends to make use of the present space along the road, which would cause no loss
of land to these commercial businesses and their owners. One expected impact is temporary road diversion
during the construction period (Department of Urban Roads, 2010).
The Kaneshie Market BRT Station in the Accra BRT Plan
The section of Winneba Road between the First Light junction and Obetsebi Lamptey Circle is a dual threelane
arterial road that allows for two-way traffic. Along portions of Winneba Road there are service roads,
however within the portion of the corridor included in the study area, there are no service roads, except for a
small outer road in front of the lorry park adjacent to Kaneshie Market extending approximately 200 meters
(0.13 miles). The First Light junction is a signal-controlled full intersection, and there is a signal-controlled
T-junction at the Accra Metro Roads/MMT location. Obetsebi Lamptey Circle is a roundabout.
As part of the BRT plan, a section of the roadway extending from the First Light junction to Obetsebi
Lamptey Circle will be designed as a two-way dual carriageway, with the BRT station located on the central
median. BRT design plans include one major station at the eastern end of the multi-story Kaneshie Market
structure. The two existing pedestrian footbridges located at the west and east ends of the market will be
replaced, with the eastern footbridge to be replaced with a new structure that will serve as both a footbridge
to cross the street and as an access point to the BRT station (DUR, 2010, p. 10). Along the entire BRT
network, the Kaneshie Market terminal is the only location designed with a pedestrian footbridge to provide
access to the BRT (DUR, 2010, p. 3).
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