Rethinking the sharing of urban traffic areas: the case of Ouagadougou

Most African cities are comprised of segregated, fragmented urban areas, with “unplanned” working-class neighborhoods alongside planned areas. This segregation is also apparent in the design of main urban roads, as designers tend to separate modes of travel (walking, cycling, two-wheeled vehicles, cars, etc.) and favor car use. In reality, however, main roads are used by all types of modes, regardless of the spaces dedicated to them. This modal mixing can also be observed on the lateritic dirt roads in neighborhoods where traffic, in fact, seems more fluid than on the city’s main thoroughfares.