The hearts of Kumasi residents were gladdened with the news of the upgrade of the Suame roundabout into a 4-tier interchange, the fourth interchange in Kumasi and the second 4-tier interchange in Ghana.
The project includes a Four (4)-Tier Interchange; one (1) underpass at Abrepo Junction; one (1) Overpass at Krofrom Junction and widening parts of the Ring Road.
Additional three (3) new Overpasses are to be constructed at Anomangye Junction, Magazine New Road Junction and Abusuakuruwa Junction.
The project also covers 15km of local roads, including those within Suame Magazine, CPC Asanteman link, Suame (Maakro, Kwapra), Adoato, Bantama Kropo Area, Racecourse Road, Tafo New Road Link 2 and Moshe Zongo Link Road.
On October 18, 2022 President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo cut the sod for the construction which began in earnest a year after (October 18, 2023) following the approval of €135 million for the first phase of the £21 million loan facility from Spain, for the Suame Interchange by Parliament last July 2021.
Work on the construction is currently ongoing by Rango Construction Limited.
The construction of the interchange would see the development of other local roads within and around the Suame-Magazine area and significantly reduce road accidents and injuries, reduce travel time and congestion, as well as reduce freight transport costs and improve urban mobility when completed
The roads to be developed include; the Offinso Road (N10) 3km Suame Roundabout- Abusuakuruwa, Western Bypass 2km Suame Roundabout-Sofoline-Interchange, Mampong Road South (N10) 1.2KM Suame Roundabout-Kejetia, Eastern Bypass 1.4km Suame Roundabout-New Tafo Road and Mampong Road North (IR4) 1.9KM Suame Roundabout-Magazine New Road.
The project will also improve some selected roads and intersections along the various routes.
He stated that the project, when completed, would serve as reduction in congestion and travel time, improvement in safety through a reduction in road accidents, improve quality of life of commuters in Suame and its environs.
The project would be undertaken under two components; the first component comprises the 4-tier Suame Interchange and grade separated intersections at Abrepo Junction and Krofrom Junction and the component two comprises three Overpasses and Local Road Works.
The component one of the project would be constructed by Tango Construction Company Limited, a local firm, in joint venture with Dizmar of Spain, while the second component would be undertaken solely by Rango Construction Company Limited.
Messrs Associated Consultants Limited (ACON) would be the supervising consultants on the project with the Department of Urban Roads, as the implementing agency under the Ministry of Roads and Highways.
First Kumasi Interchange
Kumasi experienced its first Interchange with funding from the Government of Ghana, as well as the World Bank, the Agence Française de Développement (AFD) and the Global Environmental Fund.
The Kufuor administration awarded the contract for the construction of the Asafo Interchange in 2005 to ease the traffic situation. The Interchange’s cost was over $45 million and was commissioned in November 9, 2007.
The construction of the Interchange was necessitated by the huge traffic jams that surrounded the Asafo market area in Kumasi.
The streets around the market led to the Kejetia market, West Africa’s largest open market.
Sofoline Interchange
The Sofoline Interchange project was started in August 2007 and was expected to be completed within a period of 36 months.
It was initially estimated at $80 million and with a contingent on Government of Ghana Funding with China Geo-Engineering as Contractors.
The project included an asphalt concrete surface dual carriage way with Interchanges at Sofoline and Komfo Anokye Roundabout and an Under-pass at Kwadaso, as part of the 10.3 kilometre Komfo Anokye Roudabout-Abuakwa road re-construction.
Asokwa Interchange
Construction work on the Asokwa Interchange was completed by the end of October 2011. The project was jointly financed by the Agence Francaise de Development (AFD) of France and the Government of Ghana, with an estimated funding of GH¢27.5 million for the construction of a two-lane carriageway at the Oforikrom-Asokwa by-pass and improve the road network on the Lake Road.
With regards to the Sumae Interchange, the growing concerns of residents, motorists and commuters is the slow pace of construction works and heavy vehicular traffic and difficulty in movement as the contractor is focusing on the Component Two of the project, which involves the construction of local roads and drainage system, widening of the existing dual carriage into three lanes on each side.
This component of the construction, which has a 24-month schedule, is expected to be completed by February 2025.
The general expectation of Kumasi residents is to see the Suame 4-Tier Interchange completed in good time.
If the Prempeh 1 International Airport is an excitement for the people of the Ashanti region, then the completion of the Suame Interchange would be the best legacy the NPP government could bequeath to the people in its electoral stronghold.