It seems like Addis streets are a neglected part of national infrastructure. Not to envy but rural roads are getting most of the attention. The plight of Addis Abeba’s streets during the winter months is especially concerning. Society discusses this bumpy issue...

Keep puddles at bay

Addis Ababa winter, just like domestic politics, is unpredictable and often plain crazy. It can rain several times a day, each time appearing from clear and brilliant sunshine. Addis Abebans never know what to wear during the winter months – so erratic is the rainfall. It would have been simpler to adapt to the weather (we all do eventually) but sadly, the city’s infrastructure seems to be designed by experts from a Sahel country Street planners, architects, engineers and construction companies seem to have forgotten A.A. is situated in the highlands of Ethiopia, which are probably the rainiest part of Africa, excluding the equatorial and Congo rainforests.
The City’s roads, streets and avenues are not designed to withstand even light rain for half an hour before becoming impassable. Addis is a puddle town not because streets have so many potholes – actually streets are in much better shape in recent years – but because they are paved flat when first built. What’s so bad about a nice smooth, flat stretch of pavement …? Plenty! Surprise, surprise, roads should have sloping edges and a swell in the middle. This is Engineering 101, people!!?
Addis Streets (the better ones) are more like your home’s floor, all nice and level. The rainwater naturally remains on the surface, constrained by the laws of physics, unwittingly implicated in the construction industry’s ‘plot’ to ruin our unaffordable shoes, not to mention the deliberate mud sprays doled out by obliging Addis cabbies. Somebody tell the engineers that they are flat wrong!!

What causes Addis streets to
deteriorate so much during winter?

Addis roads deteriorate because most of them are not built with concrete foundations. Bole road is a good example of such a highway and its longevity despite heavy use is the proof. I say, build roads the way the world makes them. We can’t re-invent the wheel, now can we?

Eshetu, Baker

ERA, AARA and other relevant bodies should be replaced with Chinese managers and engineering experts. After all, aren’t the Chinese proving that they know how to build good roads in the fraction of time and cost it would take Ethiopians? I say, give all road construction projects to the Chinese!

Melaku – Contractor

Good question. I’ll give you three answers. They are Tchat, Tchat and Tchat. This wicked plant is not only destroying the minds of our youth and young adults. It is also clogging nearly all of the drains, ditches and other water and sewage disposal systems. I believe that if society can ban this vicious drug we will save our youth, along with keeping our city neat and dry – even in winter.

Kassa, Bartender

There are many problems faced especially by pedestrians due to the flooded roads. The most reckless among these is the practice of dumping household waste to neighbors down stream – creating floods for all concerned once the trash clogs up what disposal systems there are. ‘Pass the buck’ mentality should be eradicated.

Saba – Technician
The reason why our urban streets fall apart as of mid-winter is because they lack routine maintenance. Imagine a stretch of asphalt as a pair of jeans. Once the fabric develops a small tear, it is time to strengthen it by patching it up. Otherwise, the relatively wearable pair would be in tatters within days. Infrastructure is just like that. If the smallest pothole or crack appears, a dedicated road maintenance crew should immediately patch it up. At present, streets are repaired only in periodic campaigns.

Addis-Tchat merchant

Most of the streets in Addis have not been built to withstand heavy loads. Addis is full of heavy trucks that generally do not respect the regulations banning them from intercity roads.
Currently, a half hearted exclusionary hours directive exists banning trucks from the streets starting from 6 am. This does reduce traffic congestion but the roads still have to bear the brunt of 5 plus ton trucks.

Zemen, Cabbie