The Importance Of Transport In Economic Development

1.1. Introduction

Transport represents one of the most important human activities worldwide. It is an indispensable component of the economy and plays a major role in spatial relations between locations. Transport creates valuable links between regions and economic activities, between people and the rest of the world. Transport is a multi-dimensional activity whose importance is historical, social, environmental, political, and economical. (Rodrigueetal, 2006).

Transport can be classified as land, water, air, and pipeline. Among them road transport networkis taking greater share of world transport and plays a vital role for the economic development and social integration of the society in country by increasing mobility of peoples, goods and services as well as by decreasing travel time. Road transport is an important sector for economic activity, especially in developing countries, where it plays an essential role in marketing agricultural products and providing access to health, education, and agricultural inputs and extension services.

Accessibility, mobility and flexibility conferred by road transportation services have instigated the streaming of pedestrians, and vehicles of all sorts into the city to participate in businesses as varied as the trip makers and at different locations. (Ikegbunam.F,2014).

For countries like Ethiopia, which are land locked and its economy is based on agriculture; this type of transport is the most widely available mode of transportation and accounts 95% of motorized movements. However, because of its limited road network, provision of infrastructure has remained one of the challenges for socio-economic development of a