body-container-line-1
10.03.2005 Regional News

No Short-term Solution For Users Of Tetteh Quarshie Interchange

10.03.2005 LISTEN
By Joy

Motorists and pedestrians who have been complaining about the structural problems of the Tetteh Quarshie Interchange will have to bear with them for sometime.

This is because there are no immediate solutions, according to the Ghana Highways Authority. The deputy chief executive in charge of maintenance, Mr. Asare-Awuku says the options available are either not cost effective or at best can only be implemented in the long term.

“ Something can be done for instance the portion in front of the eye center could be widen into three or four lanes and there is a possibility of getting the East Legon traffic to link up with the motorway…” he said.

Reacting to complaints of slow traffic on the Spintex road Mr. Awuku said there are plans to redirect the road through the polo grounds near the Accra Airport and the Burma Camp. However, negotiations with the landowners have not been smooth sailing.

“When we are going to link traffic from the Spintex road onto the Burma Camp road, one has to go through a security zone and over last ten years we have been discussing the issue with the military authorities to agree.” He said

He also dismissed calls for more bus stops and pedestrian crossings in the interchange saying they would create traffic congestion and endanger lives.

“ If we are going to put a bus stop on the bridge just because it is going to be convenient for the pedestrians, what about the safety, it is a high speed road and no one should put a facility that is going to generate pedestrian traffic, so we should discourage that and I am saying is that such a bus stop should be put after the bridge towards Achimota…” He said

Motorists especially those using the Spintex road have complained about the worsened traffic situation in the area against hopes that the construction of the interchange would bring relief to them.

Some pedestrians have also complained about the long walks across the interchange.

body-container-line