Highway Development and Capacity Utilisation in Ogun State, Nigeria

Highway development in Nigeria pioneered other modes of transport including rail, air, water and pipeline. It serves as the most efficient means of distributing agricultural products, locally-made products and natural resources. As a result of this, highways requires adequate planning and periodic maintenance for effective and efficient performance. This study examined traffic situation and capacity utilisation of highways in Ogun State, Nigeria with particular reference to Lagos-Ibadan, Lagos-Abeokuta and Sagamu-Benin Highways. Manual traffic count method was employed for the estimation of traffic volume and flow pattern. The count took 12 hours a day for three consecutive days (Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday) of a week. The traffic data gathered were analyzed and interpreted using descriptive and inferential techniques to determine Average Daily Traffic Volume (ADTV), flow situation and capacity utilization rate of each highway through thorough observation of inbound and outbound traffic. Findings revealed significant variation in traffic flow situation observed on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday of selected highways. Findings also revealed that Lagos-Ibadan Highway (2,085 vehicles/hour/lane) is well utilized while Abeokuta-Lagos and Sagamu-Benin Highways are underutilized with 820 and 1,184 vehicles/hour/lane respectively. Improvement measures and strategies to address traffic flow situation including route development and utilisation issues on the highways were proposed.