Structural Analysis of Existing Road Transport Networks in Adamawa State, Nigeria

Abstract

This study examines the structural analysis of regional road transport network with a view to assess the types and the degree of connectivity of road transport network in Adamawa State, Nigeria. Data were obtained mainly from secondary sources particularly the use of Google earth map. Using topological abstractions, a graph theory was adopted to analyze the collected data. This was achieved through devising a connectivity matrix, from which various connectivity indices were used to describe the degree of connectivity of the study area. Findings of the study revealed that, 64% of the total road networks that linked up the study area were owned by the federal government and were classified as trunks A and F roads, which connect majority of the local government headquarters while the remaining 36%, mostly un-surfaced were owned by the state/local government authorities. The findings also revealed that 74% of the road networks are in a deplorable condition. The result also revealed that the overall accessibility in the study area was fairly low. The study, therefore, recommends the need for a synergy between all the tiers of government to quantify the number of existing road transport infrastructures, establish a state government maintenance board which will mainly focus on rehabilitation of any recent damage on paved road before it reach a deplorable stage, provision of more roads through public-private partnership, provision of alternative means of transportation to reduce burden on the existing road transport among other things.