Work zone safety assessment of bus rapid transit corridor construction in Dar es Salaam

Abstract In Tanzania, large-scale Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) projects are increasingly implemented to improve mobility and reduce congestion. However, the construction phase of such projects introduces temporary traffic disruptions, altered roadway geometries, and exposure risks for road users. Despite growing BRT deployments across Sub-Saharan Africa, limited research has examined road user safety conditions during the construction phase of these systems. This study assesses road user safety conditions during the BRT Phase 3 construction in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Data were collected using structured questionnaires administered to 400 respondents, supported by field observations and stakeholder interviews. Because official crash data specific to the construction period were unavailable, perceived safety and self-reported observation of incidents or near misses were used as proxy indicators of safety conditions. An ordinal logistic regression model was used to examine factors associated with perceived safety. The results indicate that drivers (OR = 5.732), residents (OR = 6.896), and pedestrians (OR = 6.482) had significantly higher odds of perceiving unsafe conditions. Inadequate safety measures were also significantly associated with higher odds of perceiving unsafe conditions (OR = 2.340, p = 0.001), while respondents who considered traffic diversions somewhat effective were less likely to perceive unsafe conditions (OR = 0.123, p = 0.001). In addition, respondents whose daily commute was unaffected by construction activities had lower odds of perceiving unsafe conditions compared to those whose commute had worsened (OR = 0.421, p = 0.005). The findings suggest that safety during BRT construction can be improved through stronger temporary traffic control, clearer diversion design, improved pedestrian protection, and more proactive public communication. More broadly, the study highlights the importance of work-zone safety management in major urban transport infrastructure projects in rapidly growing cities like Dar es Salaam.