Critical Challenges of Street Users in Inner Cities

Urban streets in developing countries are essential in meeting the needs of city populations. Unfortunately, Kariakoo’s streets cater largely support business and accessibility, with no consideration for other activities such as walking, resting, skating, and biking. Due to poor design which creates congestion and competition for space among different users. The study focused on exploring the challenges these streets face in rapidly growing cities, with the Kariakoo commercial neighborhood as a case study. The study revealed the crucial opportunities these streets provide, but their effectiveness may be hindered due to inadequate design to accommodate multiple functions within the streets. The study identified various challenges across the four streets, including competition for space use among different users, poor drainage system, traffic congestion, lack of pedestrian walkways, inadequate parking spaces, and narrow streets. These issues were more prevalent on Swahili and Sikukuu streets from noon to 3 p.m., while Congo and Nyamwezi streets faced these challenges from morning till evening. As the urban population grows, these challenges will persist, particularly with no designated spaces for street vendors to conduct their business. Poorly designed streets have planning and development implications, including traffic congestion, competition for space, narrow streets, and delayed journeys, mostly during noon hours. The study suggests managing street use through time allocation or time-based space use zoning as the only solution.