Land Use Change and Traffic Impact Analysis in Planned Urban Areas in Tanzania: The Case of Dar es Salaam City

Abstract

This paper is based on the review of the statutory requirements for land use change development projects in Urban Planned areas. In spite of Environmental and Social Economic Impact Analysis reports considered as basic requirements for the approval of development plans in Tanzania, the depth of traffic impact measurements and Traffic Impact Analysis (TIA) has not been adequately considered in urban plans. More concern is on approval process of development proposals that makes a case for the preparation of TIA as a separate and distinct study for proposed projects. We argue in this paper that while TIA is more germane in areas where land use change proposals are taking place very rapidly, most projects still do not asses or analyse the traffic impacts from the proposed developments on the existing transport networks. Thus, in Tanzania, TIA is the most concealed component in urban planning laws and regulations and its approach, level of execution and functional standards are neither exposed nor put into urban planning operations. The paper observes that, traffic impact analysis is an important component to be subsumed as potential study among generalized studies during land use change practices in urban planned areas. Furthermore, TIA is overviewed for big investments in urban developments, but current studies have revealed the need of TIA in small and spot developments which collectively has shown a great traffic impacts in cities with rapid land use change practices. The paper recommends the inclusion of traffic impact analysis report as a statutory document in the portfolios which are basically required to be submitted for approval of urban development proposals. The paper advocates the need for the urgent enactment of necessary legislation to make this requirement an obligation in land use change process.