The Behaviour of Personal Motorists and the Costs of Traffic Congestion in Nairobi, Kenya

Globally, traffic congestion is a wasteful phenomenon where its effects include delayed travel times, reduced productivity and business opportunities, accidents, frustrations, stress and pollution. This study analyzed the behavior and characteristics of personal motorists and estimated the costs of excess fuel and time lost due to traffic congestion in Nairobi, Kenya. Identification of study variables relied on theories and principles from welfare economics and studies on traffic congestion. Data was collected through a well designed questionnaire administered to the city's motorists, interviews with key informants, observations and secondary data sources. Descriptive statistics, mathematical computations, econometrics and counter factual analysis were used to analyze the data. Results showed that the city's motorists understood the problem of traffic congestion and revealed varied perceptions on related issues such as the public transport system in the city. The total social cost of traffic congestion in the city was estimated as Ksh 146.5 billion and Ksh 16.7 billion annually in terms of delays and wasted fuel respectively (2011 prices). The study concludes that effective management of traffic congestion in Nairobi should actively involve the city's motorists including designation of the problem as a matter of national priority to enhance attention on it in terms of budgetary allocation.