IJSRSET184962 | Received : 08 July 2018 | Accepted : 28 July 2018 | July-August-2018 [ 4 (9) : 282-296 ] © 2018 IJSRSET | Volume 4 | Issue 9 | Print ISSN: 2395-1990 | Online ISSN : 2394-4099 Themed Section : Engineering and Technology 282 Impact of Road Transportation Network on Socio- Economic Well-Being : An Overview of Global Perspective Nuhu Honney Tini* 1 , Muhammad Zaly Shah 2 , Zahid Sultan 3 * 1 Department of Urban & Regional Planning, Faculty of Built Environment, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, 81310 UTM, Skudai, Johor Bahru, Malaysia 1 Department of Geography, Faculty of Science, Adamawa State University, PMB 25 Mubi, Nigeria. 2 Department of Urban & Regional Planning, Faculty of Built Environment, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, 81310 UTM, Skudai, Johor Bahru, Malaysia 3 Civil Engineering Department, PNG University of Technology, Private Mail Bag Lae 411, Morobe Province, PNG ABSTRACT Road transportation serves as a base for socio-economic development which is imperative for the survival of humanity. Such vital role played by transport led to the ever-increasing expansion of road network worldwide. The multidimensional significance of road network to societal welfare is insufficiently uncovered and less understood. This paper analyses the interplay between growth of road network and socio-economic well-being of humanity. The growth and density of road network has been investigated and it is established that disparity exist generally across continents of the world. In specific cases, while some countries have dense road network most countries of the world have less dense road network. Facts about the social and economic impact of road network is as well discovered to be multi-faceted. Economically, road transport network ensures job opportunities, income, resource exploitation, exchange of goods and poverty alleviation. Socially, roads guarantee accessibility, mobility, liveability, activity location, safety, social interaction, dispersal of idea and services, land-use efficiency and reduce vehicle emissions. Conversely, road facilitates transportation activities which directly or indirectly inflict diverse societal costs. The major challenges militating against the growth of road network worldwide includes social, economic, cultural, political and environmental factors. The mitigation measures of such challenges identified among others are improvement in road network planning and design, investment in road development and maintenance, standardization of road network, traffic safety regulations, traffic management legislation and skills. This study contributes to gaining more insight into the social and economic influence of road network to societal quality living. Keywords : Road Development, Socio-Economic Impact, Challenges, Mitigation Measures I. INTRODUCTION Transportation is an important and necessary sector from which most people earn their living. It is essential for human survival and serves as a base for social and economic development of the society. People and goods move from one place to another by different modes such as air, rail, road, water, and space. Road as a mode of transportation serves as a conduit linking places, regions, and economy together. Thereby facilitating movement of people, goods, and services. Hence, it has an edge over other modes of