President Akufo-Addo has inspected the progress of work on the 802-meter dual carriageway (flyover) at Flower-Pot, as well as the Ofankor-Nsawam road.
According to the Director of Urban Roads, James Amoo-Gottfried, work on the Flower-Pot Flyover is 85% complete and is scheduled to open to traffic in November 2024.
The President also reviewed the Ofankor-Nsawam road project, which is currently 65% complete.
This project includes a 10-lane dual carriageway, a three-tier interchange at Amasaman, and a flyover at Pobiman.
It is estimated that substantial progress will be made on the Ofankor-Nsawam road by the end of this year.
Engineer William Bempong, who is in charge of the project, provided details during the President’s inspection.
President Akufo-Addo expressed satisfaction with the progress on both projects.
Background
The motorway has acted as a barrier within the GAMA road network, restricting movement between the North and South sections to three access points: Ashaiman Underpass, Community 18 Underpass, and East Legon Underpass. These access points have been woefully inadequate, resulting in increasing congestion over the years and drastically increased travel time.
The Ministry of Roads and Highways, in a bid to resolve these challenges, commenced with the widening of the East Legon Underpass from a single lane to a dual carriageway, which was completed in August 2018.
The Flyover over the Motorway Interchange Project was designed to complement the newly completed underpass and to serve as an alternative for North-South movement. The project has been amended several times and now consists of an 800m span flyover that starts at the Palace Mall and ends on Boundary Road in East Legon. Additional features include ramps onto the motorway and improvements at the Flowerpot roundabout approaches at Spintex, as well as an access through the old tunnel to East Legon.
Objectives
The objectives of the project include the following:
- To improve the lives of people and commuters traveling from the North to the South sections of the Accra-Tema Motorway.
- To reduce congestion at the Flowerpot Intersection along Spintex Road.
- To provide a direct route between Accra East (Burma Camp and its environs) and East Legon, and vice versa.
- To significantly reduce traffic around the other functioning access points across the motorway.
- To create a reliable access route with unhindered movement from Burma Camp and its environs to the motorway.
Scope of Works
- 802m of dual carriageway for the viaduct with asphaltic concrete surfacing.
- 140m of ramp constructed from Shiashie onto the viaduct towards Airport Hills.
- 80m of ramp constructed from the viaduct onto the motorway towards Tema.
- A new road through the old tunnel at East Legon.
- An additional 200m of road constructed to connect to Cantonments from the Giffard Road Interchange.
- Redesign of the Flowerpot roundabout and approaches.
- Pedestrian walkways on each side of the flyover.
- Road furniture including streetlights, road markings, and traffic signals.
Contract Data
- Contractor: China Railway No. 5 Engineering Gh. Ltd
- Consultant: Deoke Consult Ltd
- Contract Duration: 93 months
- Funding Source: Afrexim Bank/GoG
- Commencement: 7th March 2017
- Revised Completion Date: October 2024
- Time Elapsed: 95%
- Physical Progress: 92%
Major Works Progress
- Foundation, columns, and pier caps of the Flyover: 100%
- Abutments and retaining walls of the Flyover: 90%
- Superstructure (deck) of the flyover: 85%
- Box culvert on the Cantonments Link Road: 100%
- Drainage and culvert works: 90%
SOURCE: Yaa AsantewaaÂ
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