Dr Bawumia cuts sod for the commencement of the project
Vice-President Mahamudu Bawumia on Friday cut sod for works to begin on the dualization of the Accra-Tema Beach road at Nungua in Accra.
The $100m project has two components: the Accra Intelligent Traffic Management System, which seeks to coordinate all traffic lights in Accra onto a central control system, and the dualization of the road between Osu and Tema Community 3.
Among others, the project is expected to bring about improvement in the capacity of the road between the Black Star Square and Tema Beach Road at Community 3, through a combination of traffic management and road widening measures.
It is also expected to bring about improvements in the provision of pedestrian facilities like walkways and safe crossing points, improvement in public transport facilities like bus ways and provision made for future Rapid Transit Bus operations along the entire route.
It will also involve the construction of a three-tier interchange at Nungua Barrier to address the congestion problems that road users experience there.
‘Year of Roads’
Emphasizing the government’s commitment to improving road infrastructure across the country, Dr Bawumia outlined a long list of ongoing and completed road projects.
“As you are aware President Nana Akufo-Addo has declared 2020 as the Year of Roads. Even though we have experienced some challenges due to the COVID- 19 pandemic, our focus has been to deliver quality roads to the good people of this country.
“To this end, road construction is ongoing in every part of the country. Significant amongst these include construction of four interchanges – Accra-Tema Motorway phase I, which has been completed; Pokuase, the first four tier interchange in West Africa; Tamale, the first interchange in the five northern regions; and Obetsebi Lamptey – to reduce congestion in our major cities,” he indicated.
He added: “A total of 595km of roads have been asphalted since 2017. This is visible in most urban areas in Accra, Kumasi, Sekondi-Takoradi, Tema and Cape Coast. And works are still ongoing.
“Four of the Sino Hydro Phase 1 projects are ongoing. These are the Tamale Interchange, the Cape Coast and Prestea inner cities roads, selected feeder roads in Ashanti and Western North regions and the section of the Eastern Corridor between Dodi Pepesu and Nkwanta. In addition to these four, works shall soon begin on the six other lots.”
Under the Kumasi Roads and Drainage Expansion project, the Lake Road is being widened to a dual carriageway from Coca Cola Bottling Plant in Kumasi to Dompoase (3.5km), Dr Bawumia disclosed.
Other inner city and urban roads receiving attention include construction of the Teshie Link Road in Accra (65% complete); construction of the School Junction Road in Adjiriganor (completed); construction of the Boundary Road in Nungua (ongoing); upgrading of 84km of Accra inner city roads (ongoing); and construction of 100km of Kumasi inner city roads(ongoing).
“These projects, when completed, will improve accessibility, reduce congestion, and improve safety for all road users. This is a potential game changer in our road networking, and urban development,” Dr Bawumia stated.
