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Reconstruction of Kpeshie Bridge begins

Motorists and commuters who use the Accra-Tema Beach Road will have to brace themselves up for some gridlock along the stretch following the closure of a portion of the road for Reconstruction.

Date Created : 9/20/2022 12:00:00 AM : Story Author : Nii Martey M. Botchway/Ghanadistricts.com

The closure is to allow contractors working on the Accra-Tema Beach Road Expansion Project construct a new bridge across the Kpeshie Lagoon near La.

The Bridge, which is expected to be completed in December this year, would replace the current one, including a bailey bridge that was put across the Lagoon to ease congestion on the stretch.

This came to light when Mr Kwasi Amoako-Atta, the Minister of Roads and Highways, paid a working visit to the site to gain first hand information on the project.

Briefing the Minister, Mr. Kweku Attakow Diafo, the Resident Engineer in charge of the project, said one of the two bailey bridges, which connected La to Teshie would be removed to enable construction works to begin.

The scope of work includes an 80 metre two-way four-lane and auxiliary works.At the time of the visit, pilling works for the erection of concrete pillars had begun.

To minimize the impact of the construction works on motorists and commuters, Mr Diafo said the two out of the remaining three lanes on the stretch would be made accessible to motorists heading towards Accra during the morning peak hours and a reverse of same during the evening rush hours.

That, he said was to reduce traffic on the Accra-bound side of the Bridge in the morning and the Tema-bound side in the evening.

Mr. Amoako-Atta, who tasked the contractor to complete the project within schedule, appealed to commuters to bear with the inconveniences that would come with the work.

He described the inconvenience as a necessary evil and said the Ministry had made arrangements with the police to manage the situation and urged motorists to adhere to safety measures in and around the site."We are concerned about motorists and commuters alike, hence we have put in place measures to ease their burden," he said.

The Bridge, one of the three, being constructed under phase one of the Accra-Tema Beach Road Expansion Project, facilitates the flow of water from the Kpeshie Lagoon into the sea.

In August 2022, the Vice-President, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, cut the sod for the reconstruction of the Accra-Tema Beach Road.

The 26.6-km project, which is estimated at $100 million, starts from the Independence Arch in Accra to Tema Community Three.

Work on the first phase of the 16-kilometre road, which starts from the Independence Arch of the Black Star Square in Accra through Osu, La and Teshie to Nungua, is being undertaken by CGICETC, while the second phase of 10.6 kilometres — which spans Nungua to Tema Community Three — is being handled by China Railway Major Bridge Engineering Group Company Limited (CRMBEGCL).

The work includes a two-way, four-lane urban road; a traffic signal system and related auxiliary works.When completed, the road will serve as a major alternative route to the Accra-Tema Motorway.