The road from the Obetsebi- Lamptey Roundabout to the Central Mosque at Abossey Okai in the Greater Accra region has been temporarily closed to traffic from Thursday, September 22, to Friday, September 30, 2022.According to the acting Director of the Department of Urban Roads (DUR), James Amoo-Gottfried, the closure is to enable the contractor to launch the metallic steel beams of the interchange.

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“Motorists are advised to follow the traffic diversion signs and use alternative routes to their destinations, where practicable,” a public notice signed by the acting Director of the Department of Urban Roads (DUR), J.O. Amoo- Gottfried, said.

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Already, motorists have been restricted to using one lane, particularly along the roundabout to the Kaneshie Market (Mpamprom) section, due to construction works that are causing significant inconvenience to road users.This is despite police presence to control traffic flow and ensure order and smooth vehicle movement.

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However, engineers working on the second phase of the Obetsebi Lamptey Interchange say they are on course to meet the March 2023 completion deadline.They estimate the current state of the project - which started in February 2021 - to be about 64 percent complete.The second phase is a third-tier flyover stretching from the Awudome Cemetery to the Abossey Okai Central Mosque, and underground storm drains around the area.

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About the Obetsebi-Lamptey interchangeThe three-tier interchange is a key intersection in the arterial road network in Accra. It is aimed at helping to reduce congestion experienced by commuters on the stretch.The interchange is part of the Ring Road system and is located at the intersection of four major arterials: the Kaneshie Mallam Road (Dr. Kofi Busia Highway), the Ring Road West, the Ring Road West Extension, and the Graphic Road.

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The project commenced in October 2019 with a sod-cutting ceremony for completion in 18 calendar months.According to the Ministry of Roads and Highways, the work has been completed 5 months ahead of schedule.“Phase one involved the construction of a 550m viaduct and ramps between Graphic Road and Dr. Busia Highway (Kaneshie Mallam Road). Under the project, a 2 No. (5.

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5 x 2)m box culvert across the Graphic Road and storm drain of similar size was constructed up to the Ring Road West Carriageway.Second phaseThe launch of the beams to serve as decks for the road on which the asphaltic concrete will be laid is part of the second phase of the road project.Construction work on the second phase of the Obetsebi-Lamptey Interchange project began in February last year.

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The second phase covers the third tier of work from the interchange towards the Abossey Okai road, as well as underground storm drains from the Hyundai stretch of the roundabout to Mpamprom, near the Kaneshie Market.This phase of the project involves the construction of a third-tier flyover from the Abossey Okai Central Mosque side of the road towards the ISTC Yard.

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It also involves the widening of the road into a three-lane dual carriageway, with provision for bus rapid transit facilities.It will also see the widening of the Awudome Cemetery and the Nii Teiko Din roads into dual carriage lanes, as well as improvement of the Kaneshie Market Terminal.The ground level will have a re- modelled roundabout.

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Engineers working on the second phase of the project told the Daily Graphic last month that they were on course to meet the March 2023 completion deadline.They estimated the current state of the project to be about 64 per cent complete.

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RationaleThe construction of the interchange became necessary to eliminate one of the major bottlenecks on the Ring Road in Accra — congestion — and improve traffic flow at the intersection of four major roads — the Graphic Road, the Kaneshie- Mallam Road, Ring Road West towards the Nkrumah Interchange, and Ring Road West Extension towards Abossey Okai.

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On completion, there will be the erection of an appropriate monument in memory of Emmanuel Odarkwei Obetsebi- Lamptey, one of the Big Six of the country’s independence struggle, after whom the interchange is named.The Obetsebi-Lamptey Interchange project is being executed by QGMI, with FAS Consult Ltd as a consultant.The DUR, an agency under the Ministry of Roads and Highways, is responsible for the project.Source: The Independent Ghana

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