A Critical Review of Road Survey Requirements and Procedures in Tanzania

Context and background The Road Geometric Design Manual sets forth the policy and standards for the design of roads in Tanzania. The contents of this manual are partly guidelines, recommendations, and standards, which are general rules to be adhered to. Subchapter 3.7 of the manual presents requirements for performing topographic surveys for road design projects. The main purpose of subchapter 3.7 of the manual for survey requirements and procedures is to ensure that services for road topographic surveys are uniform and standardized. However, very few information and procedures are prescribed, so the paper critically reviews the subchapter. Goal and Objectives: To detail undescribed procedures and lack of crucial information which may trigger Topographic Surveyors into different approaches and deliverables in road topographic surveying. Methodology: The study used data referred to the previous 20 years to date. These are the peer-reviewed journal papers, theses, books, media, practice experience, and technical reports. Person interviews with active registered surveyors, licensed surveying firms, and various surveying institutions were also used for primary data collection. Results: The thorough review revealed the chapter to be less informative and leaving a lot of gaps in topographic surveying field works, data processing and report submissions. The chapter was critically analysed to expose the inadequate flow, and lacking specifications in some proposed tasks, necessitating the outdated practical requirements and violations of the applicable laws of the land surveying services in Tanzania.