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ORIGINAL RESEARCH article

Front. Sustain. Cities
Sec. Urban Transportation Systems and Mobility
Volume 6 - 2024 | doi: 10.3389/frsc.2024.1435705

Exploring the factors hindering the intention to adopt sustainable transportation options in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia: Using structural equation modeling

Provisionally accepted
Yibeltal D. Tazzie Yibeltal D. Tazzie 1*Dagnachew Adugna Dagnachew Adugna 1Berhanu Woldetnsae Berhanu Woldetnsae 1Ole Fryd Ole Fryd 2Jesper B. Ingvardson Jesper B. Ingvardson 3
  • 1 Ethiopian institute of Architecture, Building Construction and City Development, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
  • 2 Department of Geoscience and Nature Management, Faculty of Natural and Life Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Frederiksberg, Capital Region of Denmark, Denmark
  • 3 Division for Transport, Department of Management Engineering, Technical University of Denmark, Lyngby, Denmark

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

    With poor transportation infrastructure and increased reliance on motorization, fast-growing cities in the Global South that are experiencing rapid urbanization have received less attention in terms of sustainable transportation research. In this regard, it is imperative to support active mobility and public transit that help to reduce vehicle emissions, traffic congestion, road fatalities, and energy depletion while supporting public health, robust economies, and social equity. However, in the emerging cities context, the adoption of sustainable transportation options are constrained by various factors. This study aims to explore the key factors hindering the adoption of sustainable transportation options in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. To do so, travel survey data were gathered from 720 households using stratified sampling and analyzed using factor analysis. The results from factor analysis indicated five groups of factors hindering residents' intention to adopt sustainable transportation options, including (1) infrastructure condition, (2) modal characteristics, (3) land use pattern, (4) policy framework, and (5) technology-related factors. The confirmatory factor analysis also depicts the five latent factors and the contributions of observed variables that are statistically significant (p<0.01). More specifically, observed variables such as (i) inadequate pedestrian facilities, (ii) lack of bike facilities, (iii) poor public transit facilities, (iv) limited availability of reliable public transport, (v) long wait times, (vi) high public transport fare, (vii) discomfort, (viii) safety and security issues are the most significant factors. Another set of factors includes (ix) walking distance, (x) dispersed land use pattern, (xi) poor land use mix, (xii) inadequate policy support, and (xiii) lack of real-time information. Furthermore, the intention to adopt sustainable modes of transportation is influenced by socio-demographic characteristics such as gender, age, educational status, income, family size, and car ownership. The result contributes to the existing literature by providing insight into adopting sustainable transportation modes in emerging cities like Addis Ababa, which are characterized by several urban transportation challenges.

    Keywords: Sustainable city, Active mobility, Public transport, Walking, Cycling, Structural Equation Modeling

    Received: 20 May 2024; Accepted: 03 Sep 2024.

    Copyright: © 2024 Tazzie, Adugna, Woldetnsae, Fryd and Ingvardson. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

    * Correspondence: Yibeltal D. Tazzie, Ethiopian institute of Architecture, Building Construction and City Development, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

    Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.