# [EAU] Uganda | road infrastructure



## vatse (Apr 17, 2009)

Trafic in Kampala



















Road from Kampala to Jinja









Small road near Fort Portal


















from http://tarmotamming.blogspot.com


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## Szatek (Nov 30, 2010)

Very interesting photos. Do you have more of them?


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## ChrisZwolle (May 7, 2006)

http://af.reuters.com/article/commoditiesNews/idAFL6E8FR67C20120427



> Construction of a $350-million Chinese-funded toll road linking Uganda's only international airport and its capital Kampala will start in July after delays over a design review and land acquisition, a government official said on Friday.
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> Alinange said the new modern highway connecting Entebbe and Kampala would take 36 months, and when completed would relieve the existing road overwhelmed by rising traffic of people and goods as Uganda's economy has expanded over the years.


Will this be the first motorway / expressway in Uganda?


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## 896334 (Aug 28, 2010)

Bloody hell the Chinese are pumping a lot of money into African roads - look at some of the stuff their funding in Kenya - huge amount of activity going on over there, it's good to see Uganda getting a slice of the action too!

EDIT: Chris, I believe it will, according to some recent reports from the Uganda National Roads Authority, there's only 20km of dual carriageway in the whole country at the moment.


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## ChrisZwolle (May 7, 2006)

*Uganda: Eight-Lane Jinja-Kampala Highway in Plan*

Government is planning to build a sh700b eight-lane express highway from Kampala to Jinja to handle the rising traffic. The Uganda National Roads Authority (UNRA) revealed that the expressway will be a toll road, meaning that it will attract a nominal fee for motorists to use. Daniel Alinange, the authority's corporate communications manager said there is an increasing demand for social infrastructure, mainly the roads. "We are hopeful that we may get a partner next year to help us construct it," said Alinange.

According to the design details of the proposed highway, the road is planned to start from the current pedestrian overhead bridge at Nakawa in Kampala. The highway will then intersect with the proposed Southern bypass near Namboole. The Government does not have enough money and is opting for partnerships with private companies under the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) arrangement. However, PPP law is yet to be passed by Parliament.

According to David Luyimbazi, the roads authority's director for planning, the expressway is a viable investment because on average, the current road handles up to 40,000 vehicles every day and the volume of the traffic is growing at an average of between 5 and 8% every year. Quoting experts, Luyimbazi said it is estimated that in the next five to 10 years, the Kampala-Jinja road, in its current state, will not be able to contain the ever-rising traffic congestion. The highway will ease traffic flow because the current Kampala-Jinja road is the most heavily trafficked road in the country. It is the major import-export route to the Kenyan port of Mombasa.

Alinange said the Ministry of Finance has pledged funds to compensate residents who will be affected. The old road will be maintained as a free facility to cater for those unable to pay. Luyimbazi said the route for the planned Kampala-Jinja expressway will run parallel and south of the present Kampala-Jinja road. It will join the old one at Namataba. It is also proposed to go through a section of the Lugazi sugar plantation, but will avoid the Mabira forest. The Southern bypass has been planned to have tunnels through highly developed and populated areas. It will also have viaducts built to avoid swamps, according to Luyimbazi.

Alinange also revealed that designs for express highways which include the Kampala-Mpigi as well as the Kampala-Bombo one have been finalized.​
http://allafrica.com/stories/201210291361.html


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## ChrisZwolle (May 7, 2006)

The first real expressway of Uganda begins construction today!

http://allafrica.com/stories/201211210482.html

*Uganda: Kampala-Entebbe Highway Launch Today*

t is one of the biggest and most ambitious road projects in the 26-years of the NRM Government.

And, when President Yoweri Museveni launches works on the new $476m (about sh1.2 trillions) Kampala-Entebbe Expressway project today, he will, once again, prove the Government's commitment to improving transport by massively investing in the road sector.

Construction works will last four years, ending 2016. On completion, the expressway will be only the second of its kind in eastern Africa, after Ethiopia's 80km Addis Ababa-Adama expressway.

According to Eng. Dr. Michael Odongo, the Uganda Road Fund (URF) executive director, the new highway manifests that Uganda is on the path to modernisation.

"We will have a modern express highway linking Kampala city and Entebbe Airport. It shows we, as a country, are modernising the transport infrastructure."

About the expressway

The project is financed by a concessional loan from China EXIM Bank with additional funding from the Government of Uganda. EXIM Bank provided $350m (about sh910b) and Uganda, $126m (about sh327.6b).

The expressway is a 51.4km dual carriageway which will start at the Northern Bypass' Busega roundabout in Kampala, ending at Entebbe Airport but with a spur to Munyonyo.

It will comprise a four-lane dual carriageway with a 37.23km road connecting Kampala Northern Bypass at Busega with the existing Kampala-Entebbe Road at Abayita Abababiri.

Another 14.13 km road will connect Munyonyo through Lweza with the new Kampala-Entebbe highway. The road will have four major interchanges to facilitate interconnections with roads at designated locations including the Busega interchange at the interface with the Kampala- Northern Bypass.

It will also encompass the Kajjansi interchange at the interface with the spur to Munyonyo, Abayita-Ababiri interchange at the interface with the existing Kampala-Entebbe road and the Lweza interchange at the interface of the spur with the existing Kampala-Entebbe Road.

Five major bridges will be built at Busega, Nalukolongo, Kajjansi, Kamirangoma and Nambigirwa swamp. There will be restricted access for intruders animals and people through fencing to facilitate mobility especially for new alignment between Busega and Abayita Ababiri.

Access will only be permitted at designated intersections or interchanges at Abayita Ababiri, Busega, Lweza, and the intersection of the existing Entebbe Road, with the spur to Munyonyo.

In his foreword in the Tarmac Network, a Uganda National Roads Authority (UNRA) publication, works and transport minister, Abraham Byandaala reckons the groundbreaking for the new road as a landmark in Uganda's history of road construction and a fitting pointer to a better road infrastructure.

"The express highway will contribute to the vehicular decongestion of the Kampala-Entebbe route, help save on fuel and reduce the pollution that traffic jams generate, releasing time for economic productivity," he says.

The project is contracted to China Communications and Construction Company Ltd (CCCC), who also constructed the Addis Ababa-Adama Expressway, says Dan Alinange, the UNRA publicist.

"The new highway will ease travelling, encourage tourism and spur development," he says.​


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## italystf (Aug 2, 2011)

Kampala and the surrounding area are now available on Google Street View. It's the first place in Central Africa to have this service.


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## ChrisZwolle (May 7, 2006)

Interesting. The interchange along the northern bypass of Kampala has zero exit signage.


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## Yilku1 (Jun 1, 2010)

Kampala-Entebbe Highway



Aaraldi said:


> https://twitter.com/ianz_life/status/697477300670042112
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Aaraldi said:


> Twitter by Nada Andersen
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## ChrisZwolle (May 7, 2006)

This article has more information about Uganda's expressways: https://www.independent.co.ug/bidding-for-us1bn-kampala-jinja-expressway/

The bidding for the Kampala - Jinja Expressway began this month. It consists of 2 lots and 3 sections;
* Kampala - Namagunga (35 km)
* Namagunga - Jinja (41 km)
* Kampala Southern Bypass (18 km)

The cost is estimated at $ 1 billion.

The article also notes that the Kampala - Entebbe Expressway will be opened to traffic next month (June 2018).


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## ChrisZwolle (May 7, 2006)

A new cable-stayed bridge opened to traffic in Jinja. It is quoted as the first cable-stayed bridge in Uganda. It's on A109 from Jinja to Kampala.


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## BL87 (Oct 17, 2016)

Construction of Busega-Mpigi expressway set to begin: https://chimpreports.com/construction-of-busega-mpigi-expressway-set-to-commence/. 2x4 lanes, contractors are Chinese CCCC and China Railway 19th Bureau Group. Construction is to last 3 years.


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## ChrisZwolle (May 7, 2006)

*Uganda: African Development Bank signs $229.5 million financing agreement for the Kampala-Jinja Expressway Project*
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The African Development Bank and the Government of Uganda on Tuesday signed a $229.5 million financing agreement for the first phase of the Kampala-Jinja Expressway Project, which will cut travel time and boost trade along an important artery linking Uganda with its neighbors.

The Kampala-Jinja Expressway Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Project-Phase I would improve travel flow, thereby “reducing travel time from more than three hours to under one hour” between Jinja and Kampala along the northern corridor linking Uganda to neighbors Rwanda, Burundi, Democratic Republic of Congo, South Sudan and Kenya, said Matia Kasaija, Minister of Finance, Planning and Economic Development.

(...)

The project comprises the Kampala-Jinja Mainline Expressway and the Kampala Southern Urban Bypass (KSB). The works will be implemented in two sections: Section 1 is an urban expressway including KSB (18km) and 35km of the main expressway from Kampala to Namagunga. Section 2 is a rural motorway covering 42km from Namagunga to Jinja.

The proposed concession period is 30 years, including an eight-year construction period. The Uganda National Roads Authority (UNRA) is the executing agency and has already commenced the procurement of a private concessionaire on a design-build-finance-operate-transfer (DBFOT) basis under the Availability Payment PPP model._

Full release: Uganda: African Development Bank signs $229.5 million financing agreement for the Kampala-Jinja Expressway Project


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## Namibija (Sep 20, 2015)

*Upgrading and Strengthening of the Kampala - Gayaza - Zirobwe Road

Technical details*: Lenght: 44,3 km
*Services:* Construction; Works execution; Reconstruction of 14 km long section of the existing road and construction of 30 km long new road, drainage works: 5.5 km concrete and 30 km stone canals, construction of 114 culverts, double surface dressing, vertical and horizontal hiking trails;
*Country:* Uganda
*Country:* Uganda National Roads Authority (UNRA)
*Project status:* Completed























































*Energoprojekt Niskogradnja*


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## ChrisZwolle (May 7, 2006)

I've been researching to see if any official sources indicate a road numbering scheme. I couldn't find any.

Reports by the Uganda National Roads Authority (UNRA) indicate a National Road Network (NRN) of 21,010 kilometers, of which 5,370 kilometers is currently paved.

The network is divided into several classes: A, B, C and M (motorway?) However I haven't found a single document on the UNRA website which refers to road numbers.

Previously there was an integrated road numbering system in Uganda, Tanzania and Kenya. I think this was established by the East African Community in the 1960s. However Tanzania and Kenya have implemented their own numbering systems and only one route is now found on maps in Uganda: A109, which used to run from the D.R. Congo border via Kampala and Nairobi to Mombasa. Open Street Map does indicate several route numbers, but it's unclear to me what this is based on.

A map of road classes:









A larger map of road conditions. Red roads are paved, brown routes are unpaved. Uganda has a pretty extensive paved road network, except in the northeast and in rural areas. However pretty much all cities of significance are accessible by paved road.










Kampala is growing at break-neck speed:


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## Kenguy (Dec 22, 2006)

ChrisZwolle said:


> Only one route is now found on maps in Uganda: A109, which used to run from the D.R. Congo border via Kampala and Nairobi to Mombasa. Open Street Map does indicate several route numbers, but it's unclear to me what this is based on.


That route is being re numbered into A8 in much of Kenya though many still reference the old number A109 (on google and many online sites but road signage has been changing on the ground). Highways will eventually be renumbered based on the proposed trans-Africa highway numbering system. The A8 to me is the start of this process in East Africa.

PS the Cape to Cairo road (no. 4) is now fully paved in most countries.


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## Kenguy (Dec 22, 2006)

BL87 said:


> Construction of Busega-Mpigi expressway set to begin: Construction of Busega – Mpigi Expressway Set to Commence. 2x4 lanes, contractors are Chinese CCCC and China Railway 19th Bureau Group. Construction is to last 3 years.


The expressway is already under construction. You can see the progress in the vid below. This will enable the Kampala metro region to further sprawl westward at it's breakneck speed.


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