Intention and Reality in Planning and Execution of Urban Transportation Projects: A Case of Dar es Salaam Bus Rapid Transit Project

Abstract

Constructions of new urban transportation infrastructure possess a great challenge compared to those executed in the rural areas where there is less population in such environment the contractor is required to manage both project and the interest of the population surrounding the project. These include road users, traders, buildings, and other naturally existing resources such as water boilies Planning for such projects should be treated differently considering its impact and coverage of the large public environment. It is important to ensure precedent and concurrent events are realized during planning and implemented well during execution of such construction project. Most studies look upon the end product for example assessing it feasibility or performance rather than how the product came upon. As the result the judgment on how much the plan has been achieved is based on the end product rather than the actual execution. This study starts from the empirical issues ascertaining the realities existing at the field, comparing the plans and their implementations looking upon; comparison and contrasts between the project plan and the actual site activities; the issues considered in the plan the deviations from the plan; new Issues introduced to the plan obstruction/setbacks/challenges in the implementation of the plan; and finally provides suggestion on how could the plan be improved. Mainly the study has been limited to three major planning issues on which the researcher established to have great impact at the stage of the project namely, traffic management and control plan; safety management and control plan and environmental care and management plan. The gaps exist on the other issues not studied by the research. Among others, issues such as poor coordination of preceding and concurrent events in the plan and execution were among of the issues discovered by the researcher for example the issue of resettlement were supposed to precedes the construction activities at to avoid both disturbance to the public and delays in the works but such activities were undertaken concurrently with the project works. This posed a great challenge in managing both the work and the public. It is therefore important to identify and implement activities as to their level of importance.