AMA boss inspects BRT project

The Accra Mayor (in suit in front) leading pressmen on an inspection of the Dansoman road project, INSET: Centre The on going Bus Rapid Transit project

The Mayor of the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA), Dr. Alfred Vanderpuije, has urged contractors of  the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) construction work on the Graphic Road in Accra, to speedily work towards the completion of the project, to reduce congestion on that stretch.

According to him, though he was impressed with the steady progress of the project, 'Right now, it is also creating congestion, with respect to traffic, so the earlier we finish it, the better it will be for community use.'

He commended the contractors, Gansu Overseas Engineering Corporation, for the work done so far, but reiterated the need to work within schedule to provide the dedicated lanes for the BRT operation.

The Accra Mayor was speaking on Monday during an inspection of the BRT project site, which the Government of Ghana is implementing, from Kasoa to Accra, under the urban transport project, and supported by the International Development Association (IDA) of the World Bank, the Global Environmental Facility (GEF), and Agence Francaise de Development (AFD) of France.

The BRT is a bus-based mass transit system expected to deliver fast, comfortable, and cost effective urban mobility, through the provision of exclusive right-of-way lanes.

Dr. Vanderpuije continued that the bus-stop in the area of the construction site needed to be expanded, so that buses and other commercial vehicles would have enough space to load and off-load passengers, as well as a passage for use by pedestrians.

Also, he said, 'There is some work that needs to be done with the Odaw River, and this is the dry season, therefore, this is the time to do it quickly, before the rains come.'

The Resident Engineer on site, Mr. Michael Lear, said work was expected to be completed by August 2012, saying, 'I believe it will be finished by the target time.'

In terms of cost, he pointed out: 'Since we started, the final value has been much the same, which is about twelve million dollars,' adding that they were working to expand the bus-stop area to two lanes, to provide commuters on the stretch easy access.

According to him, anytime they needed to close a portion of the road or lane, they provided adequate information through the media, and 'If we are forced to close altogether, then we will find alternative routes.'

The Accra Mayor took the opportunity to inspect progress of work on the Dansoman Emmanuel Sahara-Exhibition-roundabout road, where he also expressed satisfaction at the level of work done.

The application of bitumen has started on one side of the road, and one kilometre of that side of the road is expected to be ready for motorists to use as a dual carriageway in a to-and-fro manner, while the other stretch receives bitumen.

The Mayor said it was his expectation that by the end of October all the slabs that would make it possible for motorists from the other side of the road to join the bitumen-ready lane would be in place, as well as the pedestrian walk-ways.

He added that there would be the erection of street lights in the median, and new drains that would ensure a further expansion of the road to make it a double lane on both sides, saying, 'We hope that when all is done, from the roundabout to the southern roundabout will all be done fully for the use of the communities.'

He observed that construction of the drains, which necessitated the demolition of some structures in the area to link the drains to the Chemu River, had been part of the reasons for the delay in the entire project, but it was the right thing to do, once and for all.

'This is a major development in the Dansoman area, and now when it rains, the water-logged area will not see any standing water, and so the community should be pleased,' he said, adding, 'We know this work has been delayed, but we are making progress.