ABSTRACT
Road transportation, urban growth and commercial activities, particularly in developing
world continue to be among the crucial issues of global change in the 21st century affecting
the physical dimension of cities. Thus, the study examined the effects of road transport
development on urban growth and commercial activities in Gombe Metropolis using the
following set objectives which are to: determine the changes in road network development
over three periods (1996, 2005 and 2014); examine the pattern of urban growth between
1996 and 2014 in the study area; analyze the effects of road network development on urban
growth over the period of time under study and to examine the effect of road transport
development on commercial activities in the area. In order to achieve the objectives of this
research, alpha, beta, gamma indices and GIS technique were used to measure the
development in road network as well as determine the pattern of urban growth. Inferential
statistical technique Paired T-test and questionnaire were also employed to test the research
hypothesis and examine effects of road transport on commercial activities in study area.
The results of the computation of beta index revealed that there is increase in connectivity
in the area from 1.61 in 1996 to 1.70 in 2005 and 1.80 in 2014. Both gamma and alpha
indices also indicated that there is a significant increase in road network in Gombe
Metropolis during the period under study. Results obtained from the analysis of urban
growth pattern showed that the total built up area has grown from 809.28 hectare (8.29km2
)
in 1996 to 1,655.05 hectares (16.55km2
) in 2005 and to 3,689.01hectares (36.89km2
) in
2014. SPSS computations P-value (0.024) further revealed that urban growth always
determine the development of road network in the study area. Survey results showed that
95% of the respondents revealed that improvement in road network affects commercial
activities in many ways such as; provision of access to commercial outfits which bring
about profit by locating along major roads, junctions and roundabouts which in turn result
to increase in income, improvement in standard of living and reduction in poverty. It is
therefore, concluded that road transport development dictate the pattern of urban growth
and affects commercial activities positively. It is finally recommended that: more roads
should be constructed, renovated and dualized in order to improve and diversify the
commercial nature of Gombe Metropolis; rural roads should be improved to harness the
economic potentials of the state at large and further research should explore the rest of the
critical indicators of road transport development such as: accessibility, road density, traffic
density, effects of transport cost, travel distance, travel time savings on commercial
activities in the study area.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Declaration………………………………………………………………………… - - ii
Certification……………………………………………………………………………… - iii
Dedication…………………………………………………………………………………vi
Acknowledgement……………………………………………………………… - - - v
Abstract……………………………………………………………………………………vi
Table of Contents…………………………………………………………………………vii
List of Tables………………………………………………………………………………x
List of Figures……………………………………………………………………… - - xi
List of Plates………………………………………………………………………………xii
Appendices……………………………………………………………………………… - xii
CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION…………………………………………………… - 1
11 Background to the Study …………………………………………………………1
12 Statement of the Research Problem………………………………………………6
13 Aim and Objectives………………………………………………………………9
14 Hypothesis………………………………………………………………… - - 9
15 Scope of the Study………………………………………………………………10
16 Justification of the Study……………………………………………………… - 10
CHAPTER TWO: CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK AND LITERATURE REVIEW…12
21 Introduction………………………………………………………………………12
22 Conceptual Framework…………………………………………………………12
221 The Concept of Road Transport Network………………………………………12
222 The Concept of Urban Growth Patterns…………………………………………16
223 The Concept of Remote Sensing……………………………………………… - 17
23 Literature Review……………………………………………………………… - 18
231 Transportation and National Development………………………………………18
232 Transportation and Local Economic Development…………………………… - 20
233 Road Transport Development……………………………………………………21
234 Impact of Road Transportation on the Nigerian Economy………………………22
235 Historical Development of Road Transport in Nigeria…………………………26
236 Road Transport Development and Urban Growth………………………………
27
237 Urban Road Transport Infrastructure……………………………………………29
238 Effects of Transport, Commercial Activities on Urban Growth…………………31
239 Transport and the City………………………………………………………… - 33
CHAPTER THREE: STUDY AREA AND METHODOLOGY…………………………36
31 Study Area………………………………………………………………………36
311 Location, Position and Size………………………………………………………36
312 Climate………………………………………………………………………… - 38
313 Relief and Drainage…………………………………………………………… - 38
314 Geology and Soil…………………………………………………………………39
315 Vegetation………………………………………………………………………42
316 Development and Population Growth of Gombe……………………………… - 42
317 Land Use Changes………………………………………………………………45
318 People and Occupation…………………………………………………………46
32 Methodology……………………………………………………………………48
321 Reconnaissance Survey…………………………………………………………48
322 Types of Data……………………………………………………………………49
323 Sources of Data…………………………………………………………………49
3231 Primary sources…………………………………………………………………49
3232 Secondary sources………………………………………………………………49
324 Sample Size and Sampling Technique………………………………………… - 50
325 Method of Data Analysis……………………………………………………… - 52
CHAPTER FOUR:RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS……………………………………54
41 Introduction………………………………………………………………………54
42 Changes in Road Network Development……………………………………… - 54
421 Road Network Connectivity in Gombe Metropolis…………………………… - 54
43 Pattern of Urban Growth in Gombe Metropolis……………………………… - 63
431 Images Used for the Study………………………………………………………63
432 Results of Image Classifications…………………………………………………66
433 Analysis of the Pattern of Urban Growth………………………………………68
43 Determination of the Relationship between Road Transport Development and
Urban Growth ………………………………………………………………… - 70
45 Detail of the Survey…………………………………………………………… - 71
451 Questionnaire Administered……………………………………………………71
452 Demographic and Socio-Economic Characteristics of the Respondents……… - 71
46 The Effects of Road Transport Development on Commercial Activities in Gombe
Metropolis………………………………………………………………………74
CHAPTER FIVE: SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS …… - 86
51 Summary of the Findings……………………………………………………… - 86
52 Conclusion………………………………………………………………………88
53 Recommendations……………………………………………………… - - 89
REFERENCES………………………………………………………………………… - 90
