Tamale interchange to be completed July

As of January 31, this year work on the Tamale Interchange, which is the first to be constructed in Northern Ghana, was 60 per cent complete.

Barring any unforeseen circumstances, the interchange will be completed by July 31, this year.

The interchange, which is about one kilometre long, links the road leading from the Dakpema Palace through to (Point 7) road, the Central Taxi Rank and Central Market intersection and the Sakasaka road.

Among the works completed are the retaining walls for both the northern and southern sections of the interchange, the piles under bridge works and pile caps under the bridge, while the piers under the bridge works and box Girder are almost completed.

The Northern Regional Director of Urban Roads, Mr Kwasi Darko, made this known to the Daily Graphic and said work was going according to schedule.

Progress of work

When the Daily Graphic visited both the southern and northern sections of the interchange near the Central Mosque and the Central Market yesterday, the workers were working hard to ensure the interchange is completed on time.

The works completed constitute the first phase of the project and the Daily Graphic observed that the second phase had already begun and was progressing steadily.

The second phase of the project entails the construction of box girders and the deck on top of which the roadway will be put to form the overpass, both of which had been laid.

Also, slip lanes for those who would not want to drive on overpass had been laid.

The final part of phase two, which is yet to begin, will see 10 kilometres of roads within the Central Business District (CBD) of the metropolis laid with asphalt.

Roads upgrade

Mr Darko said the roads and intersections in Tamale that would be asphalted included the Inner Ring Road, Melcom Link, Market Road, the Dagomba Road Link, Bank of Ghana Road, Blossom Link/Nim Avenue, State Street, Gulkpegu street, Pagsara street and the Mosque road.

Also to be upgraded are the Mosque Road, Market link, Kumbungu Link and Kumbungu Link extension.

Mr Darko said the ongoing works had created traffic because the project was in the central business district, but he added that the contractors had staff who were controlling traffic to ease congestion.

Background

The interchange is being constructed by the Government of Ghana and is part of the $2 billion facility from the Sinohydro Master Project Support Agreement

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, on April 10, 2019, launched the Government of Ghana (GoG)-Sinohydro Agreement and also cut the sod for the construction of the Tamale Interchange.

The project began on July 31, 2019, and is scheduled for completion on July 31, this year.