Existing frameworks in Kenya recognize road aesthetics as crucial for transportation but lack clarity on the applicable criteria for assessing road environments. Current techniques, such as planting trees and grass, only indicate road attractiveness through greenery. Therefore, there is a need to clarify road aesthetic indicators for sustainable infrastructure development in Kenya. This paper aims to investigate the aspects of aesthetics used in road environment evaluation by conducting a systematic literature review to identify empirical evidence of descriptive verbs utilized as indicators for road aesthetics. The careful selection of these indicators aims to demonstrate the multifaceted benefits of integrating aesthetics into sustainable road development, and serves as a foundation for defining road aesthetics. This study examined relevant, peer-reviewed empirical studies dating back to 2010 that emphasized the visual character and quality of road environments. A qualitative meta-synthesis study reviewing the aesthetic descriptions was conducted. A search of the databases yielded 191 articles; however, only nine articles met the eligibility and quality criteria. A list of specific verbs from the eligible articles was created using content analysis, text mining, and Euclidean regularisation. The paper identifies coherence, imageability, naturalness, legibility, and maintenance as the most frequently used to evaluate road aesthetics. These findings provide a well-structured set of variables that can be used as crucial indicators of the aesthetic quality of roads in Kenya. The paper also recommends the urgent development of comprehensive policies that prioritize aesthetics in road development, mandating the inclusion of aesthetic considerations in all stages of road planning, design, and construction.
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