Assessing The Spatial Pattern Of Vehicular Traffic Flow Within Ilorin City Centre

Abstract

This study assesses the spatial pattern of vehicular traffic flow within Ilorin city centre with a view to identifying dominant traffic corridors and understanding the distribution of traffic across major intersections. The study was guided by objectives which focused on examining spatial variations in traffic flow and identifying peak directional movements contributing to congestion. A field-based observational research design was adopted, employing manual traffic count techniques to obtain primary data. Selected major intersections within the city centre, namely General Hospital, Adifa, Emir’s Road intersection, Post Office, A-Division, and Unity intersection, were purposively chosen based on their strategic importance and traffic volume. Traffic counts were conducted across the various arms of each intersection, and the data collected were aggregated into total vehicle counts and corresponding percentages. The results reveal significant spatial disparities in vehicular traffic distribution, with certain corridors consistently accounting for higher traffic volumes. Notably, Agbo Oba/Baboko/Adifa, Gambari, Challenge, and the Post Office axis emerged as dominant traffic routes, indicating their critical role in urban mobility within Ilorin. In contrast, other intersection arms recorded relatively lower traffic contributions, reflecting uneven flow distribution. The findings further highlight that traffic patterns are largely influenced by road connectivity, land-use characteristics, and the functional hierarchy of the road network. The study concludes that traffic congestion in Ilorin city centre is concentrated along specific high-demand corridors, necessitating targeted and location-specific traffic management interventions. Based on these findings, the study recommends infrastructural improvements, enhanced traffic control measures, stricter land-use regulation, and continuous traffic monitoring to ensure efficient movement within the city centre. The study contributes to existing knowledge by providing empirical evidence on spatial traffic flow patterns and offers practical insights for urban transport planning and policy formulation in rapidly growing Nigerian cities.