The Vice President, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, has cut the sod for the upgrading of the Tema Motorway Roundabout Phase 2 project.
The project, which is to provide a third tier on the existing two-tier interchange, brings to over 12, the number of interchanges that the government of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo -Addo has either completed or is working on.
Performing the sod-cutting ceremony on Monday, Vice President Bawumia listed them as the Tema Motorway Interchange Phase 1 (completed); Obetsebi Lamptey Interchange Phase 1 (completed); Pokuase Interchange (first four-tier interchange –completed); Tamale Interchange (completed).
The rest are Obetsebi Lamptey Interchange Phase 2 (Ongoing); Takoradi PTC Interchange (Ongoing); Nungua Interchange (Ongoing); Adjiringanor Interchange (Ongoing); Kpone Interchange (Ongoing); Savana Interchange (Ongoing); Dawhenya Interchange (Ongoing); Prampram Interchange (Ongoing); and Suame Interchange (Contractor mobilizing to the site).
According to officials of the Ministry of Roads and Highways, the improvement of the Tema Motorway Interchange Phase 2, expected to be completed in 30 months, would involve the construction of a viaduct to link the Tema Harbour Road towards the Ashaiman roundabout on the Akosombo Road. The grade separation would improve traffic flows around the Tema Motorway roundabout.
Other road and traffic flow improvement works are also in the offing, Vice President Bawumia disclosed.
“As part of measures to improve traffic flow between Tema and Accra, the Accra- Tema Motorway will be upgraded into a ten-lane facility. Phase 1 of the project will be between Tema Roundabout and the Tetteh Quarshie Interchange. The works will include a four-lane, concrete pavement expressway; three-lane asphaltic concrete service roads on either side; construction of Lashibi, Community 18 and Teshie Link Interchanges and the remodelling of the Tetteh Quarshie Interchange.
“Financing arrangements are being finalized for the works to commence soon,” he hinted.
The government is also undertaking several critical roads works within the Greater Accra Region, Dr Bawumia indicated, including the construction of the Tema-Aflao Road (17km) Phase 1, which involves the provision of service lanes and four interchanges between Tema Motorway Roundabout and Mitshio on the Tema-Aflao Road; construction of the Tema-Akosombo Road (64km), involving the dualization of the road and construction of two interchanges at Ashaiman and Asutsuare.
Dualization of the Beach Road Phase 1 between Osu and Nungua with the provision of bridges over the Kpeshie and SongorLagoons is also ongoing, with Phase 2, which involves dualization of the Beach Road from Nungua to Tema Community Three and includes the construction of a three-tier interchange at Nungua and widening of the railway bridge towards Sakumono is at 82% completion.
As well, rehabilitation of the 23km Dome-Kitase road, including the provision of access to the Ashesi University and the construction of the Borteyman Road (from School Junction to Nungua Farms, involving the dualization of the road between School Junction on the Ashalley Botwe Road and the Accra TemaMotorway to provide access to the proposed stadium for the All-African Games is also ongoing.
“Ladies and gentlemen, 413.20 km of Asphalt overlay has been laid in Greater Accra from 2021 to date. This brings the total asphalt overlay works completed in the Greater Accra Region to 947.80km since 2017,” Vice President Bawumia stated.
Dr Bawumia thanked the Government and people of Japan who through JICA have provided grant funding for the entire works and urged the Ministry of Roads and Highways, the Consultant as well as the Contractor to ensure that adequate traffic management measures are put in place during Construction to reduce the inconvenience that the works will bring to the travelling public and residents.
Rex Mainoo Yeboah, ISD
