Commuters cry over potholes - On Kaneshie-Kasoa highway, others

Potholes and gullies on some roads in the capital, especially at traffic light intersections, have resulted in unbearable traffic congestions on some major roads.

The perennial challenge was worsened by the recent rains, posing  danger to road users who are subjected to terrible traffic jams daily.

Compounding the situation is the rampant stealing of metal grids that cover underground drains on the highways.

Notable among the potholes-riddled roads is the Dr Busia Highway, from the Kaneshie First the rampant stealing of metal grids that cover underground drains on the highways.

Notable among the potholes-riddled roads is the Dr Busia Highway, from the Kaneshie First Light end all the way to Kasoa in the Central Region, the bridge roads forming the Mallam Interchange, Odorkor Traffic Light, parts of Adabraka inner city and the CMB area.

Other areas of concern are the Accra-Tema Beach Road, portions of the Accra-Nsawam Road and Tema Roundabout to Prampram Junction, where potholes on the Afienya Road intersection with the N1 (Accra Aflao road) at Dawhenya create unbearable traffic congestion.

Passionate appeal

Motorists, whose patience has run out, therefore, implored the authorities concerned to fix the roads as a matter of urgency.

Potholes on the Kaneshie-Odorkor Highway in Accra

This came to light when the Daily Graphic toured some roads in the capital following the recent downpour.

During the visit, it came to light that huge gullies and potholes had developed in the inner lane in front of the Total Filling Station, near the Mallam Interchange.

The situation compels vehicles coming from the Kaneshie end towards Weija Junction to cram on the right side of the road, especially during the evening rush hours.

This results in heavy traffic stretching as far back as Odorkor as vehicles compete for space while trying to avoid the gullies.

The dangerous nature of the potholes has compelled some good Samaritans to fill them with stones and cement blocks as a stopgap measure.

However, some drivers who ply the route described the situation as a death trap since the potholes could cause accidents.

They said, for instance, that drivers who were not familiar with the road could end up running their tyres into the potholes, especially at night, due to poor visibility.

The motorists also called on the authorities to fix the street lights on that stretch and revisit the traffic lights at the Weija junction intersection.

They said those traffic lights needed to be properly regulated to ensure free flow of vehicles, especially during rush hours.

The drivers said as it stood now, the traffic lights at the Weija junction contributed to the intense vehicular traffic situation on the Mallam-Weija stretch, and therefore urged the authorities to regulate it urgently to ease traffic flow.

One of the drivers, Awudu Amadu, said the situation near the Total filling station at Mallam Junction was a threat to public safety.

"This situation has been like that for sometime now and I am wondering whether they are waiting for an accident to happen before acting on it," he said.

A Taxi driver in the area, Solomon Otoo, said there were occasions when some vehicles ended up faulty on account of the deplorable roads.

He said: "even people who are familiar with the road end up driving into the potholes in the night".

At the opposite end of the road the main Mallam Bus Stop it was observed that the surface had become rough and undulating, forcing drivers heading to Kaneshie to slow down.

With drivers slowing down and people crossing, traffic often builds up - extending all the way to Weija Junction.

Worsening the situation is another pothole in the outer lane between Mallam Market and the Sakaman Junction traffic lights.

On reaching that spot, most drivers from the Kasoa end slow down while others meander their way to the left.

Because the lanes have been reduced, with the potholes taking almost half of the road, drivers cram into the remaining lane towards Kaneshie.

In separate interviews, some drivers and passengers expressed their frustration over the situation, saying it was unacceptable since the traffic on the road was unbearable.

Two students, Samuel Coffie and James Mensah, and a trader, Agyeiwaa, called for the immediate fixing of the potholes.

Mensah, in particular, said the "traffic was just unbearable because we spend hours in it in the mornings".

For his part, Yaw Collins said the traffic on the stretch was a drain on their finances as they had to spend more money to buy fuel.

At Odorkor, a gully has developed just after the traffic light towards Kaneshie, slowing down traffic unnecessarily.

Also, in the outer lane from Darkuman Junction to Dansoman Junction, similar potholes and gulleys have developed, making drivers uncomfortable.

Another road that is in a deplorable state is the outer lane of Dansoman Junction to Atico Junction.

The Daily Graphic also realised that the frontage of the National Investment Bank, behind CMB, is also in a deplorable state.

At Rawlings Park, two potholes have developed near the monuments of Ga chiefs mounted in the area.

It was also observed that the metal grids on the Graphic Road, Toyota and some parts of Adabraka had been stolen.