The Identification of Sustainability Assessment Indicators for Road Infrastructure Projects in Tanzania

Abstract

The performance of sustainability in infrastructure projects continues to face challenges in its implementation and attainment in developing countries, one of which is the lack of appraisal tools and indicators for the assessment of sustainability. Studies indicate that there are no formal indicators for sustainability assessment on road infrastructure projects in Tanzania, the lack of which limits the determination of whether projects implemented are sustainable or not. Therefore, this study aimed at determining the key sustainability assessment indicators used for road infrastructure projects in Tanzania. A concurrent mixed research approach was adopted in which the sample was purposively selected. A content analysis and descriptive statistics using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS 20.0) were used to analyze qualitative and quantitative data, respectively. The findings indicate that 24 indicators are applicable to Tanzania. Among the highly ranked include “health and safety training to workers”, “health and safety personnel in the project team”, “site barriers and safety warning signs”, “personal protective equipment (PPE) provision”, and “waste collection”. The qualitative results further support the identified sustainability assessment indicators on road infrastructure projects in Tanzania, with one new indicator of “air quality” emerging. The findings inform the government and other relevant stakeholders in the construction industry including planners, designers, and project managers of the key sustainability assessment indicators for roads, which would influence regulation as well as policies to improve the sustainability performance of road projects in Tanzania.