The Context

In Dar es Salaam, social services—hospitals, markets, businesses, and government offices—are heavily concentrated in the city center. This centralization forces citizens living in the outskirts to travel long distances daily to access basic necessities and work.

The Problem

This mass movement of people towards a single central point creates unbearable traffic congestion, particularly during morning and evening peak hours. It results in lost productivity, increased pollution, and a lower quality of life for residents who spend hours commuting.

The Research: AI for Decentralization

This research project explored how Artificial Intelligence could influence better city planning decisions to foster decentralization.

The core concept was to use AI to analyze the movement patterns of citizens. By observing data on how many people travel from specific areas to the city center and for what services, planners could identify high-demand zones.

These insights would determine whether it is viable to bring specific services—such as a hospital, a market, or a school—closer to those communities, thereby reducing the need for long commutes and alleviating traffic congestion.