THE PROBLEM OF ARTICULATED VEHICLES ON-ROAD PARKING AT MOKWA AND TEGINA IN NIGER STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

Vehicular parking activities are part and parcel of a roadway system, but the agglomeration of articulated vehicles within a portion of a roadway especially within the urban area is a major threat to the built environment and a challenge to environmentalist. In Nigeria and many developing countries, lives and properties are lost in road mishaps attributable to wrong on-road parking. Mokwa and Tegina are towns in Niger state of Nigeria which are already having their share of articulated vehicle on-road parking anomalies. In an effort to solve this problem, this research examines the causes and the traffic implication of on-road articulated vehicle parking at Mokwa and Tegina with a view to determining the possibility of providing off-road for them. A parking survey was conducted at the two selected towns together with a stakeholders meeting, and satellite imageries were also acquired to ascertain the level of tolerance and adoption of the proposed resettlement. The result reveals that the portion of the roadway has become a threat to other road users and a menace to the towns. It was also discovered that all the stake holders including the drivers’ union, are ready for the provision of a modern off-road park as soon as possible. This paper therefore recommends a public private partnership (PPP) approach for the implementation of the off-road modern park at Mokwa and Tegina.