Citation: Gbenga Enisan and Lukman Agbaje (2022) Impact of Residential Land Use Change on Intra Urban Road Network of Akure, Nigeria, British Journal of Environmental Sciences, Vol.10, No.3, pp., 1-15,
Abstract: The utilization of different land uses in different locations generates the demand for transport, where system and supply of transport enable the distribution of different land uses in different locations. Therefore, one can simply argue that urban and spatial planners, transport planners, highway engineers, public transport and logistics operators, retailers and developers should all come together to create new strategies and policies on the logic of land use management, transport geography, accessibility, and implied division of labors. This study investigated the impact of residential land use change on intra urban road network of Akure, a medium size city with moderate population in southwestern Nigeria. Four major intra urban roads in the city center were considered in this research and a total of 150 houses and residents within 200m distance from the roads which amounted to 5% of the buildings within the study area were sampled. Information, relating to road network, condition of road, level of land use conversion among others, was gotten with Geographic Information System (GIS), questionnaire, personal observation and interview. It was found out that, most residential land use along intra urban roads in the city center had been converted to commercial land use either totally or partially. The study affirmed that, residential land use change has both physical and socio economic impacts on road network development and the environment. It was therefore recommended that, proper land use planning, establishment of a commercial center to cater for the city’s commercial needs and the preparation and implementation of a transportation master plan will reduce the problems observed. This will ensure adequate intra urban road management as well as sustainable urban development in Nigeria.
Keywords: Residential, intra urban mobility, land use change, road network
