Tema Motorway roundabout opened to traffic
The Tema Motorway Roundabout has been opened to traffic, following the completion of construction works.
Advertisement
It was closed to traffic for months for the construction of four slipways linking Tema, Accra, Akosombo and Aflao.
The management of Meridian Port Services (MPS) is expected to hand over the GH¢28-million project to the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GPHA).
The MPS funded the project as its corporate social responsibility to reduce the huge volumes of traffic at the roundabout.
The area has been fixed with lighting systems to illuminate it at night, while landscaping works are being done to beautify it, with road markings being done along the various points linking the roundabout to the newly constructed dual carriage access roads.
Commuters have, however, expressed worry over the fact that parts of the roundabout which were previously two-way have been turned into one-way, while bus stops have also been removed entirely along the newly reconstructed area.
Traffic flow
When the Daily Graphic visited the roundabout on Monday after it had been opened for use, the hitherto heavy vehicular traffic was missing.
Vehicles plying the stretch and connecting from Accra to Tema, Akosombo and Aflao had easy navigation.
The only inconvenience was the inability of commuters to access the roundabout from the Tema General Hospital Link Road because that stretch had become a one-way lane.
MPS
The Head of the Road Implementation Project at MPS, Mr Victor Moutinho, told the Daily Graphic in Tema that the removal of the bus stops and the introduction of a one-way lane from the roundabout to the General Hospital Link Road was to avoid traffic flow interference
“It is against traffic management rules to situate bus stops near roundabouts, considering the volume of traffic along the stretch,” he explained.
He said the expansion works, which were done using concrete pavements to link the Tema-Accra Motorway from one side and an asphaltic overlay from Tema to the Akosombo and Aflao sections, saw the removal of underground materials which had deteriorated over the years.
“The construction has extended the traffic capacity along the four arms to about 200 to 400 metres, while the thickness of the road has been increased from the ground to about 300 millimetres to ensure that it stands the test of time,” he said.
Flyover
Asked whether the MPS would fund the construction of the flyover at the roundabout, Mr Moutinho said the company’s commitment to the government of Ghana had been in connection with the roundabout and that he was not sure whether there would be any further commitment beyond that.
He commended the public for the cooperation it offered the contractors.
“We hope the opening will bring a huge relief to the motoring public,” he added.
The Ghana Highway Authority had, in April 2017, closed portions of the Tema Motorway Roundabout to traffic to make way for construction works by Synohydro Ghana Limited.
The closure brought about heavy vehicular traffic in the Tema metropolis, compelling motorists to find alternative routes to avoid the gridlock that occurred on the stretch.
