Land-Use Configuration and Traffic Flow Dynamics: Implication for Sustainable Transport Planning in Ilorin Metropolis

Rapid urbanization in developing cities exacerbates transportation challenges, underscoring the critical interplay between land-use configuration and traffic flow dynamics. This study aimed at analyzing the dynamics between land-use configuration and traffic flow in Ilorin Metropolis, Nigeria, a medium-sized city experiencing acute congestion due to unplanned spatial growth, with the aim of generating evidence-based strategies for sustainable transport planning. A mixed-methods approach was utilized, combining data collection through traffic surveys at six major intersections during peak and off-peak periods, spatial analysis of satellite imagery, and 344 administered questionnaires across three Local Government Areas. Analytical techniques included descriptive statistics, Principal Component Analysis (PCA) to determine the factors shaping land-use patterns, while Multiple Linear Regression modeled the relationship between varying land-use types and traffic flow. Key findings reveal a dominant residential land-use (37.6%), with significant unplanned conversion to commercial uses along arterial corridors, yet commercial and market zones exert disproportionate impacts on traffic dynamics. PCA identified economic activities as the paramount driver of land-use patterns (81.54% variance), followed by population density (11.91%). R = 0.507, confirmed commercial areas and markets as the primary significant predictors of traffic congestion, accounting for 50.7% of traffic flow variability. Critical intersections like Muritala/Amilegbe handle over 4,000 vehicles per hour during peaks, with congestion exacerbated by inadequate infrastructure, poor signalization, and roadside trading. The study concludes that Ilorin’s traffic inefficiencies are fundamentally rooted in a misalignment between land-use concentration and transport capacity. It. recommends integrated land-use and transport policies, modernization of intersections, decentralization of commercial hubs, and investment in sustainable public transport to foster balanced urban mobility.