Managing traffic congestion in the Accra Central market, Ghana

Abstract

Traffic congestion is a major phenomenon in most Ghanaian cities, especially in market centers resulting in massive delays, a decrease in productivity and reduction in sales. Therefore, the study sought to assess the management of traffic congestion in the Accra Central Market. The study employed an exploratory design to sample 300 respondents through the administration of questionnaires. In-depth interviews were conducted with four officials of management institutions in Accra. The quantitative data were analyzed using SPSS v 21 whereas the qualitative data was manually analyzed. The study revealed that bad attitude of drivers, traders, and pedestrians, Road Traffic Crashes (RTCs) and poor road designs were the main causes of traffic congestion. The effects of traffic congestion are decreasing sales and productivity and cause stress. The study recommends public education, strict enforcement of road traffic regulations, and provision of adequate parking spaces to help manage traffic congestion in the Accra Central market