IMPACT OF INTERCHANGES ON LAND USE CONVERSIONS AND LAND VALUE VARIATIONS IN THE SOUTHERN EXPRESSWAY, SRI LANKA

Abstract

Road network is considered to be one of the most key infrastructures of any country. The improvements to the transportation system is always carried out under a socioeconomic context. Thus far, the developmental policies and strategies have largely concentrated on physical capital, but of late the focus has veered towards human capital issues as well. It is important to
strike a balance between the two because physical and human capital generally go hand in hand. Expressway concept in Sri Lanka was initiated by opening of Kottawa to Galle in 2011. Southern Expressway is a new experience to transport system in Sri Lanka as well as to the real estate market. As the result of the construction of expressway, the land market in surrounding
areas has fluctuated according to different ways. The arterial road network with nodes and linkages are interconnected with expressway through the interchanges. As a result, lager bare lands and agricultural properties are getting blocked out for residential uses as the demand for residential properties in the surrounding areas have surged. In Sri Lanka, not many research
have taken into consideration the issues of the selected interchanges in the Southern Expressway. Therefore, a clear research gap exists in relation to this area and this research focuses on filling the gap. Hence, this research primarily focuses the impact on land use conversions and land value variations in the Kurundugahahethekma interchange.