Africa-Press – Tanzania. CONSTRUCTION of the JP Magufuli Bridge popularly known as the Kigongo-Busisi Bridge (3200m) that is set to provide an important link between Mwanza Region and Rwanda, Burundi and Uganda is almost halfway done.
Tanzania National Roads Agency (TANROADS) Manager for Mwanza Region Engineer Pascal Ambrose said, they were working day and night to ensure that the project meets the completion target of February 2024.
The construction is now at 47.3 per cent and upon completion the project will be a catalyst for reducing poverty and spur economic growth in the larger area.”
Mr Ambrose further said that the J.P Magufuli Bridge will replace the ferries when crossing Lake Victoria in this vicinity.
“It is expected that the new bridge will accommodate significantly more traffic volumes along the route as well as improve the safety of users at this lake crossing point.”
The project route consists of two major components namely bridge works and road works. The bridge works consist of the construction of extra – dosed bridge (520m) with a total length of 3.00 km (including approach section) crossing Lake Victoria, he said.
The road construction consists of the widening of 1.66 km of the existing road from two to four lanes and construction of 1.16km on the Kigongo side and 0.5 km on the Busisi side.
These approach roads tie in from the existing surfaced road to the new bridge. For the construction purposes, the bridge and roads have been combined in one contract (Single Lot) covering bridge and road segments.”
“The project road includes a 3 km bridge of the project and consists of the main bridge and two approach bridges. It is the first to transverse the Mwanza Gulf of Lake Victoria, and thus the symbolic meaning and aesthetic beauty of the surroundings are adequately expressed by the extra-dosed bridge with three (3) pylons.
Approach bridges are PSC beam bridges with a 40 m long span length in terms of securing the economics of the Projects.
In addition, the temporary bridge was applied to the whole bridge part to complete the bridge construction,” he observed.
He pointed out that the construction of the bridge, therefore, will ensure that the bridge is passable throughout the year with ease as well as improve ambient air quality, reduce traffic volume to the ferry through diverted traffic, reduce travel time and improve public transport.
The bridge, financed by the government commenced on 25th February 2020 and is expected to be completed on 24th February 2024.
“The project is being developed by the China Civil Engineering Construction Group (CCECG) and the China Railway and is entirely financed by the Government of Tanzania,” he said.
“The 180-tonne capacity bridge will allow 1,600 vehicles to pass at a time and will result in Mwanza becoming a major commercial hub in the Lake Zone.”
Mwanza Regional Commissioner (RC) Robert Gabriel said that the ongoing mega infrastructure projects implemented by the government in Mwanza are aiming at transforming the city into the most efficient trading hub in the Great Lakes Region.
“The government is implementing mega infrastructure projects in Mwanza to attract business community from Kenya, Rwanda, Burundi, Congo DRC and Ethiopia,” said Mr Gabriel.
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