Pedestrians’ Perception of Pedestrian Bridges—A Qualitative Study in Dar es Salaam

Daudi Katopola, Fredirick Mashili and Marie Hasselberg
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Daudi Katopola: Department of Global Public Health, Karolinska Institutet, Tomtebodavagen 18A, 17177 Stockholm, Sweden
Fredirick Mashili: Department of Physiology, Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences, P.O. Box 65001 Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
Marie Hasselberg: Department of Global Public Health, Karolinska Institutet, Tomtebodavagen 18A, 17177 Stockholm, Sweden

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 3, 1-12

Abstract: Background: About 30 percent of all road traffic deaths in Tanzania involve pedestrians. As one of the strategies to protect them, pedestrian overhead bridges have been constructed across busy roads, and plans to build more bridges are in place. It has, however, been shown that such pedestrian bridges do not necessarily discourage street-level road crossing, even when pedestrians must cross multiple lanes with heavy traffic. This paper explores the perceptions of pedestrians when crossing urban roads emphasizing pedestrian bridge users. Methods: Nineteen semi-structured interviews were conducted in situ around six pedestrian bridges in Dar es Salaam. All interviews were conducted in Swahili, recorded using digital devices, transcribed verbatim then translated into English. Content analysis was employed using qualitative data analysis software (MAXQDA). Results: We identified three overarching themes, namely, I don’t know if it’s right or wrong, they already decided; the bridge is just a crossing facility, not for other purposes; and follow your gut feeling, even if you don’t know how things will end. The results suggest that many participants prefer to look for alternative means of transport and resorted to more alternative routes just to avoid using pedestrian bridges due to bridges length and crossing time. Conclusion: These findings highlight the concerns caused by alternative uses of pedestrian bridges and underscore the importance of involving local communities and other stakeholders during planning.

Keywords: pedestrian; perception; behaviors; pedestrian bridge (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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