Discipline: Technology and Engineering
Subcategory: Civil/Mechanical/Manufacturing Engineering
Anna Chambliss - Howard University
Flooding during the rainy season is a big problem in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Therefore large, open, road-side channels are built along the sides of the road to hold the excess amounts of water. Although necessary, these channels are a danger to pedestrian safety, in a city of over one million people, because there is no barrier between them and the sidewalks, or they take the place of sidewalks lining the road. This issue is most prevalent at two pedestrian generators: Mlimani City shopping center, and the access road connecting the University of Dar es Salaam to the busiest intersection in Tanzania, the Ubongo Junction. This study investigates various aspects in order to provide a solution to improve pedestrian safety at these sites. The components of the study include the following: (1) verifying the existing open channel’s capacity to hold a maximum amount of discharge rainfall; (2) evaluating whether the sidewalks are appropriate to accommodate pedestrian volume; and (3) recommendations for improvement and redesign of the site. Data collection consisted of observations of the sites, counting and mapping pedestrian and their movements during peak hours, depicting the flow of pedestrians using GIS, recreation of the sites using 2D AutoCAD designs, and a review of literature on implementing pedestrian safety techniques. The preliminary findings of this investigation showed that the existing capacity of the open, road-side channels were sufficient to hold a maximum amount of rainfall, and that the sidewalks were insufficient in width to accommodate the pedestrian volume utilizing them. The recommendations for addressing poor pedestrian safety measures included a 2D AutoCAD draft of the sites with the open, road-side channels covered with a perforated material serving as an extended sidewalk, and other features such as zebra crossings and pedestrian crossing signals. Further research should explore cost feasibility, impact on flooding, and the economic impact of the proposed recommendations.
Funder Acknowledgement(s): This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. HRD-1238466. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.
Faculty Advisor: Tiffany Lathan,