Works and Transport Minister John Mutorwa on Tuesday announced the construction of a traffic circle along with a dual carriageway entering Rundu, at the intersection of the Trans-Zambezi Highway and Eugene Kakukuru Street.
The development valued at N.dollars 34 million is aimed at reducing car accidents and improving the movement of vehicles entering and leaving the town centre.
The minister, during a media briefing at Rundu, also announced the commissioning of phase two of the Charlie Cutline road project of the Mankumpi Constituency in the Kavango West Region.
“What is being put here is for a good purpose. When you enter the town of Rundu from Ndama informal settlement, the road is too narrow thus the vehicles are congested. The Roads Authority (RA) has thus contracted China Henan International Cooperation Group, which has already commenced with the widening of the intersection from a single carriage to a dual carriageway for 150 metres into Rundu town,” he said.
Also speaking at the media briefing was RA Chief Executive Officer Conrad Lutombi, who said the plan to construct a traffic circle along with a dual carriageway on the intersection of the Trans-Zambezi Highway and Eugene Kakukuru Street dates back seven years.
“The intention at first was for us to erect traffic lights but then we realised that with traffic lights the congestion could be even more serious, as you would have traffic passing without turning into town, thus we had to do a proper traffic assessment,” he said.
Lutombi said the assessment also incorporated plans for the town’s development in the next 10 to 15 years.
The construction of the traffic circle has already started and will run for six months.
Lutombi said upon completion, the project is expected to significantly boost the economy of Rundu as it will promote social and economic growth.
He added that Rundu is experiencing fast growth in residential and industrial infrastructure and that currently, there are several ongoing residential developments exerting an unprecedented increase in heavy traffic.
Source: The Namibian Press Agency