An Assessment of Street Addressing and House numbering The case of Mekelle-Kedamay weyane sub city

Abstract

This study evaluates the existing state of street addressing and house numbering system in the Central Business District (CBD) in Mekelle City, specifically in the Kedamay Weyane Sub-City, and its significance in enhancing the management, governance, and delivery of services in the district. The study used a mixed-methods research technique that combines both qualitative and quantitative methods, such as surveys, observations, and analysis. The study used interviews, observations, and analysis, while the house numbering system was analyzed using surveys, geo-spatial analysis, and combination analysis. The study has identified several important shortcomings, including lack of standardization, absence of house number labeling, low level of participation, failures in human, physical, and digital representation, that cause limitations to the operation of the urban system, leading to confusion among citizens and visitors, poor delivery of emergency services, postal, and utility services, and lack of coordination in collecting revenues and urban planning. Moreover, it has also identified that Mekelle’s CBD has experienced tremendous growth, informal growth, and overlapping street names that contribute to low efficiency in institutional operations and increasing costs in operations for businesses. To improve upon the identified shortcomings, the study recommended the construction of an effective and coherent pattern in house addressing that is well-supported by a comprehensive house number labeling system, enhancing participation for guaranteeing its continuation, enhancing the physical representation for better recognition, and enhancing the digital cartographic system for better geographical and geo-spatial analysis representation for better integration, analysis, and spatial analysis for improved geographical and geo-spatial representation analysis. Moreover, the study also emphasizes strengthening and enhancing the institutional requirements, enhancing collaboration and partnership, and ensuring collaboration for enhancing improved operations, performance, and governance improvements for better operating, governance, and geographical, geo-spatial analysis, and adaptation analysis in Mekelle’s Central Business District.