Asokwa Interchange To Be Handed Over October

Construction work on the Asokwa Interchange, which was suspended a few months ago for lack of funding, has resumed with alacrity, and according to the Kumasi Metropolitan Director of Urban Roads, Mr T. Quaye, the project is expected to be completed by the end of October this year.

Briefing the Daily Graphic during an interview about the progress of works so far, he said the main interchange at the Asokwa

Police Station was complete, and that the road network had also reached an advanced stage of completion.

The project, which is being jointly financed by the Agence Francaise de Development (AFD) of France and the Government of Ghana, with an estimated funding of GH¢27.5 million, among others, involves the construction of a

two-lane carriageway at the Oforikrom-Asokwa by-pass and improve the road network on the Lake Road.

According to Mr Quaye, the project also sought to “increase capacity at intersections, improve traffic operations, increase pavement

strength and enhance the safety of pedestrians and other road users”.

He said the project, which is the missing link of the 17 kilometre inner ring road network in the Kumasi metropolis “would greatly reduce the massive vehicular and human traffic flow associated with the Kumasi metropolis. “

Mr Quaye said a number of traffic signals had been installed at four major intersections, others were being installed and a total of 239 street lights were expected to be installed, out of which “148 have been installed. “

“ In all about 98 per cent of the project has been completed and the expectations are that by the end of October, the project would be handed over to the government,” he assured.

Mr Quaye noted that apart from the completion of the Asokwa interchange bridge, they had also completed the “triple-cell Aboabo box culvert and the installation of pedestrian guardrails and crash barriers. “

He noted that all the drainage works of the Oforikrom-Asokwa bypass project had also been completed and the upgrading of the 2.7 kilometre two lane dual carriageway asphalt Lake Road projects were also complete.

He said the construction of the “3.6 kilometre two-lane dual carriageway with asphaltic wearing course is also complete,”

noting that “ a 12-meter wide media had been provided for future expansion and accommodation of the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) lanes.”

He said other facilities provided were a bridge over the Aboabo River to link Anloga to Asokwa, traffic signals at major intersections and mid-block pedestrian crossings, road signs, markings, pedestrian walkways and landscaping in the median and on high embankments”