AfricaPress-Tanzania: THE construction of Wami Bridge is still ongoing and as of March 2020, the project’s implementation had reached 37.5 per cent, parliament was told.
According to the and Communications, the construction of the bridge is being funded by the Tanzanian government by 100 per cent.
The ministry said in a written response yesterday, when answering a question posed by Zainab Amir (Special Seats-CCM) that the contract for the construction of the bridge was signed between the government of Tanzania and the Chinese contractor – Power Construction Corporation – on June 28, 2018 and that it was expected to be completed after 24 months.
“The construction will involve connection of roads to the bridge that will have 3.82 kilometres in an attempt to connect the new bridge with the Chalinze-Segera highway,’’ noted the ministry.
In her main question, the Special Seats lawmaker wanted to know when the government would look for an investor to construct the new Wami Bridge in Coast Region to modernize it.
It would also make it a source of revenue collection from motorists as it is currently being done at the modern Kigamboni Bridge in Dar es Salaam.
Responding, the ministry said that the feasibility study and detailed design for the new Wami Bridge was carried out in March 2016, adding that the bridge which is expected to be constructed 670 metres away from the current bridge will have a length of 513.5 metres and 11.85 metres in width.
The current bridge is 88.75 metres long and is very important as it connects Coast Region and its neigbouring regions of the Northern Zone and neigbouring Kenya.
The bridge is also 47.47 kilometres from the Chalinze junction on the Chalinze-Segera highway.
“Currently this bridge is still suitable for vehicles crossing over as it was constructed at higher qualities many years ago; however, the sharp corner within the bridge has been causing several accidents, and that is why we need to have a new bridge,’’ he said