Ghana Partially Opens Major Flyover In The Capital City

This is meant to reduce the traffic congestion in the area and also to pave way for contractors to carry out other works without difficulties.

President Mahama told a gathering of drivers, pedestrians, government officials and a delegation of Brazilian officials, that the opening of the two flyovers was a promise he made when he cut the sod for the construction in November 2013.

“In November 2013, I cut the sod for the transformation of the Kwame Nkrumah Circle into a three tier interchange. I also stated on that day that when the first two flyovers are completed, they will be immediately opened to traffic while the rest of the construction continues. The opening of the roads to traffic will bring considerable  relief to commuters on the Nsawam-Accra corridor. It will also enable the contractor to move some of the traffic onto the two flyovers and create space to concentrate on the rest of the remaining works to be done. As you can see, the third flyover is being laid out with various connecting loops. Work is progressing on schedule; and the Kwame Nkrumah Interchange with a new statue of Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, a beautiful fountain, a police post, new lorry parks and greenery will be ready for inauguration before the middle of 2016. It is my privilege to declare the two flyovers, Nsawam and Akasanoma bridges duly opened to traffic”.

President Mahama inspected the €74.88million project which is being jointly financed by the Brazilian Government and the Government of Ghana, and being executed by the Brazilian firm, Queiroz Galvao Construction.

The Kwame Nkrumah Circle is a key intersection in the major road network in Accra.

It carries about 84,000 vehicles a day and constitutes a key bottleneck in the major road network that links the suburban areas of Accra to the central business district.

Managers of the project say work is about 70% complete and will most likely be fully opened by December 2015, or January 2016.

Aside from the three-tier interchange, other roads around the Kwame Nkrumah Circle will be improved. These include rehabilitation of the Ring Road East to the Feo Oyo Intersection on the Ring Road West.

The roads will be asphaltic concrete surfaced, with pedestrian walkways and bicycle paths.

President Mahama says other road projects are underway to improve traffic in the capital city. He thanked the Brazilian government, the construction and Ghanaian workers engaged for the project.

“To further address the issue of congestion and improved capacity of the roads in other parts of the city to take the growing volume of traffic, we are executing a number of other projects. These include the rehabilitation of the road within the Accra East Corridor. The works are the widening of the Giffad road from 37 Military Hospital or the El-Wak road as some call it, to La Beach passing in front of Burma Camp and the Trade Fair. The others are the Burma Camp road that links Spintex Road, as well as the connection of the Burma Camp road to the Teshie Tebibiano and Teshie link roads. This project is over 90% and will be commissioned in the next few weeks. It is my expectation that with the completion of these roads, they will bring a lot of relief to commuters in the Eastern part of Accra. The rehabilitation of the Awoshie-Pokuase road which opens up the western part of Accra and improves access between Awoshie and Pokuase is ongoing. In addition to the road works, various community infrastructure along the Awohie Pokuase roads such as schools, hospitals and lorry parks are progressing well and are expected to be completed by the end of this year”.

The president announced that works on the Bus Rapid Transit system are far advanced to start operating by the end of 2015, adding the two flyovers will be useful to the system.