Work has begun on the 10-kilometre Prince House-Giporoso-Masaka road, which will be expanded from two lanes to four and fitted with a flyover, underpasses and new interchanges.
The Rwanda Transport Development Agency (RTDA) said construction started on Sunday, August 30, and will take 30 months.
The project will also include bridges and culverts, pavement works, drainage systems, street lighting and infrastructure for managing traffic.
RTDA said the expansion will increase the road’s capacity and improve the movement of people and goods along the corridor.
The road connects Kigali city centre with the Special Economic Zone and Masaka and is an important route for commuters, businesses and freight.
The project is part of Rwanda’s cooperation with China on transport infrastructure. In June 2019, the two governments signed a $42.8 million grant agreement that included financing for the expansion and rehabilitation of the Prince House-Giporoso-Masaka road.
The government said at the time that the project would turn the existing two-way, two-lane road into a four-lane road, helping to reduce congestion, ease commuting and support business activity.
Motorists will face temporary traffic changes as construction progresses. The City of Kigali, RTDA and Rwanda National Police have identified alternative routes around Giporoso, Sonatube, Kimironko, Zindiro, Ndera, Gasogi, Kabuga, Kicukiro and Busanza, among other areas.
RTDA said the diversion arrangements may be adjusted depending on the progress of the works and traffic conditions.
The agency urged motorists, businesses and residents along the corridor to cooperate with authorities and follow temporary traffic arrangements during construction.
The upgraded road is expected to improve road safety and transport efficiency while allowing the corridor to accommodate current and future traffic.
