EXAMINING THE VIABILITY OF TRANSPORTATION DEVELOPMENT TO REDUCE URBAN POVERTY IN THE DEVELOPING WORLD THROUGH ACCESSIBILITY: THE CASE OF KIBERA - NAIROBI, KENYA By AMY CAVARETTA A THESIS PRESENTED TO THE GRADUATE SCHOOL OF THE UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF ARTS IN URBAN AND REGIONAL PLANNING UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA 2013 1 © 2013 Amy Cavaretta 2 To my family, for always standing beside me, supporting my studies, and encouraging me to chase my dreams 3 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS This research work could not have happened without the support of my family, friends, and graduate advisors at the University of Florida Department of Urban and Regional Planning and the Department of African Studies. Special thanks to Dr. Ruth Steiner for her support, encouragement, and inspiration through my entire graduate career and particularly through this research process. I thank Dr. Chris Silver for supporting my passion for planning in the developing world, and I thank Dr. Todd Leedy for his valuable expertise and recommendations on Kenya, Nairobi, and his support of planning in the African context. 4 TABLE OF CONTENTS page ACKNOWLEDGMENTS .................................................................................................. 4 LIST OF TABLES ............................................................................................................ 7 LIST OF FIGURES .......................................................................................................... 8 LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS ........................................................................................... 10 CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................... 13 Urban Poverty ......................................................................................................... 13 Why Kibera? ........................................................................................................... 13 2 LITERATURE REVIEW .......................................................................................... 16 Summary Of Literature Review ............................................................................... 16 Definitions ............................................................................................................... 16 How Can Poverty be Evaluated? ...................................................................... 18 How Is Poverty Evaluated in This Study? ......................................................... 19 Increasing Accessibility as a Solution to Urban Poverty ................................... 21 What Leads to Increased Accessibility? ........................................................... 22 Defining and Measuring Dimensions Of Accessibility ............................................. 23 Place-Based Accessibility ................................................................................. 23 Transportation Mobility ..................................................................................... 25 Economic Accessibility ..................................................................................... 27 Educational and Institutional Accessibility ........................................................ 29 Transportation Development and Accessibility ................................................. 30 Financial Feasibility of Transportation Improvements ...................................... 32 Spatial Feasibility of Transportation Investments ............................................. 35 Summary of Literature Review ................................................................................ 37 3 METHODOLOGY ................................................................................................... 38 Methods of Research .............................................................................................. 38 Data Sources .................................................................................................... 38 Data Classifications .......................................................................................... 39 Spatial Analysis Tests ............................................................................................. 40 Distance Within Kibera ..................................................................................... 41 Distance from Kibera ........................................................................................ 41 Directional Distribution...................................................................................... 41 Expected Results .................................................................................................... 42 5 4 FINDINGS ............................................................................................................... 44 Background ............................................................................................................. 44 Goals of Analysis .................................................................................................... 45 Kibera ..................................................................................................................... 46 Demographic Characteristics of Kibera ............................................................ 47 Spatial Characteristics of Kibera ...................................................................... 48 Economic Characteristics of Kibera .................................................................. 49 Transportation and Infrastructure Characteristics of Kibera ............................. 50 Housing Characteristics of Kibera .................................................................... 57 Sanitation and Utility Access ............................................................................ 58 Educational Characteristics of Kibera ............................................................... 61 Healthcare Characteristics of Kibera ................................................................ 63 Institutional Characteristics of Kibera ............................................................... 64 Government of Kenya Plans for Slum Improvement ............................................... 64 National Infrastructure Plans ............................................................................ 65 Nairobi Railway City Development ................................................................... 66 Kenya Slum Upgrading Program ............................................................................ 67 Goals of KENSUP ............................................................................................ 67 KENSUP Soweto East Pilot Project ................................................................. 69 KENSUP Transportation Improvements ........................................................... 70 Results of Spatial Analysis Tests ............................................................................ 72 Economic Access ............................................................................................. 72 Educational Access .......................................................................................... 73 Healthcare Access ........................................................................................... 75 Institutional Access ........................................................................................... 76 Directional Distributions .................................................................................... 77 Limitations of the Analysis Results ................................................................... 78 5 DISCUSSION ....................................................................................................... 103 Discussion of Results............................................................................................ 103 Slum Upgrading in Other African Cities .......................................................... 103 How to Provide Access?................................................................................. 106 Increased Transportation Options .................................................................. 106 Character of Government Action .......................................................................... 111 Challenges to Implementation .............................................................................. 112 6 CONCLUSION ...................................................................................................... 115 Further Research .................................................................................................. 115 Summary of Conclusions ...................................................................................... 116 LIST OF REFERENCES ............................................................................................. 117 BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH .......................................................................................... 123 6 LIST OF TABLES Table page 4-1 Comparative Avg. Monthly Prices for Kibera Residents ..................................... 53 4-2 Formal Economic Uses near Kibera ................................................................... 97 4-3 Educational Uses near Kibera ............................................................................ 97 4-4 Healthcare Uses near Kibera.............................................................................. 98 4-5 Institutional Uses near Kibera