Traffic along Northern by-pass diverted for two months

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Traffic along the Northern bypass has been diverted for a period of two months to enable civil works on the highway. The diversions take effect from Friday.

According to the January 24 public notice issued by the Uganda National Roads Authority-UNRA, the diversions will enable the contractor proceed with the physical works geared towards the completion of the second phase of the project.

“Traffic approaching from the Kampala- Entebbe Expressway, Busega and Mityana road will be diverted to the substantially completed section of the highway. Motorists approaching Busega from the Sentema roundabout will also be diverted to the substantially completed new section of the bypass,” reads the notice in part.

Some motorists say that although they will be inconvenienced, they are ready to comply with the directive.

Steven Mukasa, a driver at Busega stage, says for long they have waited for the completion of the road in vain. Mukasa says since the on-going works at the road had become a challenge causing traffic jam, he anticipates smooth flow of traffic after completion.

The Northern Bypass passes through Kampala and parts of Wakiso District starting from Bweyogerere on Jinja Road to Busega where it joins the newly constructed Entebbe Expressway.

The by-pass was designed to relieve congestion and reduce on travel time on several routes in and around Kampala.

During the first phase, a two-lane single carriageway was constructed and completed in October 2009.

In 2014, the government embarked on the second phase to expand the existing road by constructing an additional carriageway, approximately 17.5km long to make the road a 4-lane dual carriageway.

Although the project which kicked off in 2014 had been anticipated to be completed in 2017, its date of completion has since been pushed to 2023.

The cost of project which is jointly funded by the government of Uganda and the European Union is said to have also been increased from the initial 285 billion shillings to 448 billion shillings.

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