Urban Infrastructure Design and Pedestrian Safety in the Kumasi Central Business District, Ghana

Central Business Districts (CBDs) are areas of intense economic and social interactions and zones for pedestrian activities. However, infrastructure for pedestrian safety has not been considered in the design of CBDs in many developing countries. Infrastructural facilities for pedestrians are normally introduced as add-ons to the main design of the CBDs and sometimes create more problems than they were intended to solve. The situation is more complicated for vulnerable groups such as children, people with disabilities, and pregnant women. This article investigates the level of pedestrian protection in the CBD of Kumasi, the second largest city in Ghana. It presents an inventory of infrastructure within the CBD for pedestrian comfort, safety, and collision avoidance. Using an empirical inventory, observations, and pedestrian interviews, the study reveals inadequate, poor location and maintenance of pedestrian infrastructure within the Kumasi CBD. It further identifies careless use of these facilities by motorists and pedestrians that has contributed to increasing pedestrian crashes. The article proposes the redesign of the Kumasi CBD to improve pedestrian protection and avoid chaos.