• Widens opportunities to utilize Port Sudan
BAHIR- DAR– The Ethiopian Road Authority announced that a 380 meter long new extradosed bridge, which is part of the second Growth and Transformation Plan (GTP II) on the road sector, has got its commencement over the Abay River.
Speaking on the occasion, Transport Minister, Dagmawit Moges, said that as road infrastructure is a means to achieve social and economic goals, the federal government has been financing a lot on the sector.
Thus, in the year 2020/21 it set to achieve 91 road projects so as to address the age long public quest and swift the import export trade.
Director General of The Ethiopian Road Authority, Habtamu Tegegne, for his part said that the new bridge project over Abay River at Bahir Dar is more than a mere bridge project. “It is rather a unique landmark which brings together transport architecture, tourism, trade sectors together.”
The bridge when completed will have irreplaceable importance to facilitate the country’s import export trade and serve as the second gateway of foreign trade next to Djibouti at its close proximity to Port Sudan via Metema, added Habtamu.
It is stated that when the bridge finalized it will have a key role in speeding up the import-export trade of the country and widens opportunities to better utilize the Port Sudan and create economic corridor in the North Western part of the country.
The project which is fully financed by the Ethiopian Government costs of 1.437,000,000 Birr and it will have 43 meter width with capacity of flowing 6 vehicles at once and path ways for bicycles. The project is expected to be culminated within three years of time span.
While the China Communication Construction Company (CCCC) has taken the contract, Botake Bosferus, a Turkey based consultancy and the domestic Stadia Engineering would take the inspection and consultancy part.
The first extradosed bridge project has also incorporated concrete structure, ramp, traffic signals and works of bridge beacons.
The Ethiopian Herald Sept 25 /2019BY LAKACHEW ATINAFU
