The Managing Director of Accra-Kumasi Expressway Limited has disclosed that the planned Accra-Kumasi Expressway will feature eight grade-separated interchanges, 11 vehicle overpasses and 55 mainline bridges as part of a major infrastructure project aimed at improving road safety and connectivity between the Greater Accra and Ashanti regions.
He made the disclosure during the handover of a 175.6-kilometre right-of-way cleared by the Ghana Armed Forces ahead of construction activities.
The 198.7-kilometre project will connect Ablekuma in the Greater Accra Region to Sewua in the Ashanti Region. It will consist of approximately 176 kilometres of newly constructed expressway, together with about 23 kilometres of upgraded connector roads at both ends of the corridor.
According to the Managing Director, the mainline will be constructed as a Class A highway featuring a three-lane dual carriageway built on a 36-metre roadbed. The expressway will be designed to accommodate speeds of up to 120 kilometres per hour.
The connector roads, which will link the expressway to surrounding communities and existing road networks, will be developed as Class B roads with a maximum design speed of 60 kilometres per hour.
In addition to the eight interchanges, the project will include nine at-grade intersections and approximately 200 reinforced concrete box culverts to support drainage and improve the resilience of the road infrastructure.
The expressway will also incorporate four service areas designed to provide facilities for motorists along the corridor. Eight tolling points are planned, alongside an operating centre and two monitoring centres that will be responsible for tracking traffic conditions and responding to incidents.
Safety and emergency response infrastructure will form a significant part of the project. The development will include a fire service and ambulance station, three maintenance depots and a range of road safety and electromechanical systems.
These facilities are expected to support an intelligent transport network and improve the management of traffic, emergencies and other incidents along the expressway.
The project is also expected to deliver significant benefits to motorists and businesses travelling between Accra and Kumasi.
According to the Managing Director, the completed expressway will shorten the current Accra-Kumasi travel distance by approximately 50 kilometres. It is also projected to cut journey times by about half while reducing transportation costs by roughly 40 per cent.
The project is expected to provide an alternative and more efficient route between the two major economic centres, while reducing pressure on the existing N6 corridor.
“When completed, this road will provide safer and more reliable transport and reduce the pressure on the N6,” the Managing Director said.
The development of the expressway is expected to have wider economic implications, particularly for the movement of people, goods and services between the Greater Accra and Ashanti regions.
With its planned interchanges, bridges, service areas, emergency facilities and intelligent transport systems, the project is being positioned as a major upgrade to Ghana’s road transportation infrastructure.
Source: Thepressradio.com
