Assessing the Contributions of Urban Light Rail Transit to the Sustainable Development of Addis Ababa

Jackson Sekasi and Mauro Luiz Martens
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Jackson Sekasi: Railway Engineering Civil Infrastructure Department, Addis Ababa Institute of Technology, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa 1000, Ethiopia
Mauro Luiz Martens: Production Engineering Department, Polytechnic School, University of São Paulo, Butantã, São Paulo 05501-010, Brazil

Sustainability, 2021, vol. 13, issue 10, 1-22

Abstract: Many of the existing urban transport infrastructures in developing African cities are challenged by the mobility demands of their ever-increasing population and increased vehicle capacity. To address these transportation challenges, the Federal government of Ethiopia through the Ethiopian Railway Corporation (ERC) constructed and operates the Addis Ababa light rail transit (AA-LRT). Currently, many other African cities are following in action. This study aims to assess the contributions to sustainable development derived from the services of urban light rail in Addis Ababa. Cross-sectional quantitative research by means of a structured questionnaire survey considering key variables of social, economic, and environmental transport sustainability dimensions was conducted in Addis Ababa. Dimension-wise, the collected data was then analysed in order to measure the contributions made by AA-LRT and to identify the relations amongst each considered variable and each sustainability dimension. The findings of the study indicate a high level of perceived contributions of the economic sustainability dimension as compared to social and environmental sustainability. The study suggests an improved consideration of the environmental and social dimension for a holistic approach to transport sustainability of the city.

Keywords: sustainability; railway transport; sustainable development; urban rail; Addis Ababa light rail transit; transport infrastructure; sustainable urban transport (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (4)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:13:y:2021:i:10:p:5667-:d:557228

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