Sustainable planning approaches to dealing with negative externalities of transport corridor developments

Abstract

Transport corridor developments have emerged in recent years as one of the magic bullets that can improve efficiency in the transport and logistics processes along majors and that can foster sustainable economic developments in the corridor regions of many developing countries. Despite the obvious gains in the logistic processes and on the economic development front, such a best practice corridor development scenario has also come with negative externalities that equally threaten the sustainability of positive impacts it has brought. Poorly planned corridor developments are a characteristic of most developing countries that has been associated with what this essay calls negative externalities. This essay analyses a host of negative externalities common to most transportation corridor development initiatives in developing countries that require urgent attention through sustainable planning interventions. It further outlines the nature of sustainable planning approaches that are required to ensure sustained positive development outcomes along transport corridors. Empirical evidence to support the discussion points shared in this essay have been solicited from critical review of literature on transport corridor development planning, sustainable transportation, responsive urban development and planning, environmental planning, and sustainable urban planning.