Work on Tamale interchange progresses

Work on the Tamale Interchange, the first to be constructed in the northern part of the country, is progressing steadily.

The interchange, which is about one kilometre long, links the Kumasi road through the Point 7 road, the Central Taxi Rank and Central Market intersection with the Melcom and Bolgatanga roads.

A visit by the Daily Graphic to the site saw workers busily working on the retaining walls for both the northern and southern sections of the interchange which are almost completed.

The Northern Regional Director of Urban Roads, Mr Kwasi Darko, who conducted the Daily Graphic round, said that work was going on as scheduled.

He said many of the pile foundations needed had been constructed, adding that out of the 103 pile foundations needed, 98 had been completed while work on the remaining five was still ongoing.

Mr Darko said the construction, which was almost completed, was the phase one of the project.

He indicated that one of the challenges they had faced with work was how to get the earth moving equipment to navigate through the site without destroying the pipelines laid underground, as well as the electricity cables, some of which were also underground.

Mr Darko also observed that because the project was in the central business district, the ongoing works had created some traffic in the area but the contractors had workers who were controlling traffic movement, thus helping to ease the congestion.

Second phase

The director also said the second phase of the project would be the box girders followed by the deck on top the roadway which would be the overpass.

He added that there would also be slip lanes for those who would not want to drive on the overpass.

In addition, 10 kilometres of roads within the Central Business District (CBD) of the metropolis would be asphalted as part of the second phase of the project.

Background

On April 10, 2019, President Akufo-Addo launched the $2 billion Government of Ghana-Sinohydro Master Project Support Agreement and also cut the sod for the construction of the Tamale Interchange.

According to the President, through a barter arrangement, Sinohydro Limited would provide $2 billion worth of priority infrastructure projects of the government’s choice across the country in exchange for Ghana’s refined bauxite.