In this modern society, governments are always confronted with the dilemma of whether to spend more money on improving roads and highways and public transportation systems. This problem is a much debated one in the sense that it affects everyone in the society in one way or another in their daily lives. It is then quite rational for people in a society to choose investment on better roads and highways for the obvious reason that better road conditions would increase more public vehicles and accelerate the speed of them. If a government however finds itself in the stage of defining its priorities, it should consider that there are many advantages in investing on roads and highways.
The most important advantages of investment on roads and highways include higher potential for the transportation of goods, reduction in costs related to problems caused by low quality roads and a notable effect on the thriving of the whole region and the country in general. If governments invest on roads and highways, the quality and quantity of roads and highways in their various countries will increase. This will in turn improve the transportation of goods in regions which will eventually result in the booming of the economy and thus higher income for the government.
Photo credit: Bridgette Owusu-Ansah
Furthermore problems such as accidents and gradual damages to vehicles that are caused by low quality roads and highways will be reduced. Roads and highways will now be safer and fewer damages will be caused to vehicles and drivers. Finally a country with vast number of high quality roads and highways is more apt to prosperity. This is because there will be more opportunities for the people of the country to have access to various resources. Hence if the system is organised and managed well, it can lead to greater development in a country
However there are also many advantages in investment in public transport facilities. A well designed and managed public transportation system can reduce traffic congestion in cities. Less traffic problems means the less air and noise pollutions and can provide people in the society with a better physical and mental health. In addition, prosperous public transport can save valuable time that is otherwise wasted in heavy traffic. Investing in public transport facilities can also lower the huge amount of costs consumed on private vehicles including fuel, service and insurance costs.
Video of motor vehicles transporting people on the Osu-Labadi highway. video credit: Owusu Bridgette
Road transport is among the most important factors affecting the living conditions of people in the society. A proper road transport system has different components among which the roles of public transport facilities, highways and roads are prominent. Thus, a good road transport system assumes a special significance as it does not only impact on the overall quality of roads in a country but also influences greatly the economies associated with its construction and maintenance.
Motor vehicles transporting people to their various destinations on the Accra-Madina highway. picture credit: Owusu-Ansah Bridgette
The impact of road transport systems can therefore have both positive(benefits) and negative(challenges) effects on the environment and the economy as a whole. Narrowing our focus to the positive impact of improved road transport systems on our economy, there are many advantages associated with an improved and proper road networks and also public transport facilities. To begin with, road transport systems connects places very well. Unlike rail, water and air transport, roads can be built to very remote locations(rural areas/villages) as well as to busy urban areas(cities). Roads can also be built on steep slopes as well as over rivers and valleys. Something which will be pretty difficult and expensive for railways to do.. As a result of this, road transport provides a lot of reliability and hence its the most accessible compared to other forms of transport.
Secondly, road transport provides door to door services.Goods from a seller or supplier's warehouse can be transported and delivered right at the door steps of buyers. Services such as this cannot be provided by the other forms of transport(rail, air and water). Here also, children can be transported right from their homes in a school bus to school and from school to their homes.Another advantage or benefit associated with road transport is that it is economical for the transport of goods and people over short distances. Fares charged for transporting people and goods through road transport systems are less compared to the other forms of transport systems. Again delays in transit of goods on account of loading and handling are avoided. Goods can be loaded directly into a road vehicle and transported straight to their place of destination. Charges for loading and unloading are therefore reduced due to direct transportation. Furthermore, road transport systems requires less capital quality. Road transport requires less capital investment as compared to the other modes f transport. Wages paid to drivers and other workers as well as capital spent on construction and maintenance of roads and vehicles are much lesser compared to the construction and maintenance of tracks along railway lines. Also, road vehicles such as trucks and cars cost comparatively less compared to to trains, ships and aeroplanes.
A truck transporting goods to its destination. picture credit: Owusu-Ansah Bridgette
Road transport systems also provide flexible services. Road transport has a great advantage over other modes of transport in the sense that it offers more flexibility. Here there are no fixed schedules. Its routes and timings can be adjusted and changed to individual requirements without much inconvenience. Road transport can therefore operate anytime. Also road vehicles can be diverted to different routes in case of blockages or accidents, Thus road transport provides minimal risk of damage and is most suited in transporting delicate goods like chinaware and glassware. Goods that are likely to be damaged in the process of loading and unloading. If goods are also to be transported immediately or quickly, road transport systems are more reliable than the rail and water transport because of its rapid speed. The ability to own vehicles by individuals is also another benefit of road transport. Here, people can now afford to have their own road or motor vehicles and initiate their own road services to market their products without causing any delay.
Finally, with all these benefits of road transport, there are certain negative aspects associated with it such as traffic jams and street hawking. Thinking about traffic jams on the road can be quite scary and sickening. On the brighter however, traffic jams can be beautiful just as the saying goes, "beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder." By critical observation, anytime there are traffic jams on highways, the different colors of vehicles combine to create exciting color patterns, Some innovative artists take pictures of unusual beauty and beautiful paintings which they sell expensively to people. Hawkers are also happy anytime there are traffic jams on highways because that is when they make money selling to people in cars in traffic. Even though the hawking activity is very dangerous, it still puts money into their pockets. Hence from the above benefits, if a government invests more in road transport systems, the quantity and quality of roads will increase as well as the potential for transport of goods. This will in turn result in the booming of the economy and thus higher income for the government.
A beautiful scenery of traffic jam on the Kwame Nkrumah circle road. picture credit: Owusu-Ansah bridgette.
Video on road construction at Taifa-St. John in Accra. Video credit: www.youtube.com.
Roads are the lifeline of any economically vibrant nation. The road construction revolution has brought to light, the way to globalisation and a marvelous road transport development all over the world. As a result of this, not only is Ghana covering up with the rest of the world in the interconnection of countries but also the interconnection of cities with the best road transport system. Roads can therefore be defined as routes or paths that begin at one destination and lead to another.
A Gravel constructed street. Photo credit: Owusu-Ansah Bridgette.
Road construction is perhaps one of man's earliest forms of construction. Some of the earliest roads were built by men such as John Metcalfe, a Scotsman who built roads within a distance of 180 miles(290km) in Yorkshire in England. Despite being blind, Metcalfe drained roads and built with three layers consisting of gravel, excavated road material and large stones. Modern tarred roads on the other hand were brought into existence by the works of two Scottish engineers Thomas Telford and John Loudon MacAdam. Telford and MacAdam devised methods of analysing the thickness of stones, road traffic, road alignment and gradient slopes. They also designed a method that
involved laying broken large stones in symmetrical patterns and covering
them with aggregate in order to create a solidified surface. Their
designs therefore became crucial to the evolution of road construction
methods and as such became the standard for road construction projects.
Hence a modern road can be defined as a route or way on land which has
been paved or improved by the use of modern equipments to allow travel
by some conveyance including a horse, cart or motor vehicle. Roads that
are also available for use by the public maybe referred to as highways
or public roads. Furthermore, roads that lead into cities and towns can
also be referred to as streets, avenues and more.
Necessity they say is the mother of invention. In this perspective, the manual approach in the construction of modern roads does not seek to only make an impact on the overall quality of roads, but also to improve the condition of life in the society. For the best roads to be built, there are certain processes or steps that are involved which include planning, clearing, leveling, materials to use and maintenance. Before earth-moving machinery can be put to work for road construction, the land undergoes a series of surveys to determine the route, distance, direction and elevation. This is known as planning. Other important factors to consider in the construction of a road is to know what materials would be used and which methods to employ.
Clearing is the first task after planning in the road construction process. This is done to rid the road of any obstructions that may inhibit construction such as stumps, bushes and rocks. In the early days, these obstructions were removed by hand or with the help of horse-drawn plows. Today, they can be removed by a machine known as the hydraulic excavator which digs the stumps or rocks out of the soil with its long extended arm and bucket.
Leveling the land is the next step after clearing the road. Before the advent of modern machinery, this task was undertaken with hand-held rakes and hoes. Today, this is completed by wheel loaders that remove larger chunks of dirt and rocks and leveled out by motor scrapers. Once the road is leveled, the motor grader is used to create a flatter and smoother surface before the application of asphalt or other materials.
A modern asphalt road. Photo credit: Owusu-Ansah Bridgette.
Although other materials such as gravel, sand and clay can be used for road construction, asphalt is one of the most common used in constructing modern roads and highways. Some experts recommend using a geotextile membrane under a soil base to strengthen the surface. The base is then covered by about 9 inches(23cm) of soil, followed by 6 inches(15cm) of coarse gravel or asphalt. A 4 inch(10cm) thick layer of crushed gravel known as "bank-run" gravel is deposited atop the base. Asphalt roads first appeared in 1824 on the Champs-Elysees in Paris. Asphalt soon became widely used throughout Europe and North America and is now used on 96% of all paved roads in America and also in the world. The first use of asphalt on modern roads however came from the work of Belgian immigrant Edward de Smedt at Columbia University in New York City.
Maintenance of gravel and asphalt roads can be as easy as scraping off the layer of material that covers the road. However, there are certain features of road-building that can aid in the maintenance and longevity of a road. For example, gravel and asphalt two-way roads are recommended to meet at a crown, a raised A-shape or midpoint section of a road. Single lane roads on the other hand do not require them. Also, the best time to pursue reshaping of roads is after rainfalls since the surface is looser and the amount of dust is reduced. This allows the ground to compact more effectively.
The newly constructed Madina-Adenta highway. Photo credit: Owusu-Ansah Bridgette.
Today, there are 20 miles(32.3million km) of roadways in the world(as of 2002) with U.S holding the record for the highest number of roadways measuring 3.9 million miles as of 2005. Roads therefore continue and will continue to play a vital factor in modern civilisation with majority of roads being constructed according to city and national standards.
