Two parallel roads to relieve traffic at Megenagna area

Construction costs 125 mln birr

 By Tedla Yeneakal

 In addition to the 2.5 Km relief road construction in Megenagna area, which is in progress and scheduled to be completed in two weeks time, the city is set to see the construction of a parallel road, from Megenagna through the British Embassy all the way linking it to Sandford School. The Addis Ababa Road Authority (AARA) disclosed to Capital that the cost is estimated at 105 million birr.

This raised the total amount of money spent this year for road construction in the Megenagna area to 125 million birr. The relief road construction costs the authority around 20 million birr and is several years overdue, as it was scheduled to be built some time ago. The construction commenced on January 13, 2005 and is projected to be completed on February 28, 2005. 

Similarly, the road going through Megenagna via the British Embassy all the way linking it to Sandford School will commence some months later as soon as the relief road is completed.

Fekade Haile, general manager of the authority, told Capital that the construction of the 105 million birr road was delayed due to the unavailability of fund for the roadwork. He also attributed the delay to a major pipeline being affected. “Developing a design that accommodates the pipeline on the road, took a long time,” he said.

In terms of the funding of the road, the general manager said that they are in the brink of sealing a deal with the government of China, to finance 50% of the total cost of the new road, with the rest of the cost to be covered by the authority.

The completion of the construction of the two roads which will be open for use before the end of this year are expected to reduce a substantial amount of traffic on Haile Gebreselassie Street.

However, the contractor of the newly to be built road is not known yet. The relief road construction is being undertaken by the Addis Ababa Road Authority.