Beitbridge dual highway complete

Government has completed the upgrading a 5km road stretch of road from the transformed Beitbridge Border Post to highways linking the town to Bulawayo and Harare.

Beitbridge is going through a massive transformation, as the Second Republic presses ahead with its plans to transform the town into a medium city. Civil works on the 5km stretch started over a decade ago under the Beitbridge Redevelopment Program (BRP).

Aerial view of modernised Beitbridge Border Post

These have been progressing at a snail’s pace owing to a number of challenges.
Bitumen World was contracted by Government two years ago to fully implement the project.

“This is splendiferous work. What is only left is for us to have street lights along that road and installing some LED adverts. This will create a good impression of the town at night,” said Beitbridge Mayor Councillor Munyaradzi Chitsunge.

A resident of Beitbridge, Mrs Kiliboni Ndou said she was impressed by the workmanship and the speed at which the project had been implemented by Government.

She said the road has given the town a new look and has helped decongest the highway which previously had only two lanes.

The road has four lanes running from the border for 5km.
“As a resident and motorist, I am impressed with this project. It is a life saver to all road users,” said Mrs Ndou.

“With more lanes having been opened, we expect to see a reduction in road traffic accidents. In addition, as motorist we celebrate because bad roads have a negative effect on the wear and tear of vehicles”.

Ward 5 Councillor, Mr Granger Nyoni said Government had done a good job in upgrading the road. He said they were looking forward to the completion of ancillary accessories which include speed limits, street lights and pedestrian crossing points.

Clr Nyoni said he was impressed that tax payers’ money had been committed to the construction of a state-of-the-art road in Beitbridge which is the face of Zimbabwe to those coming through the port of entry.

“It is pleasing to note that the Government means business. A road that took many years to complete has been done in a short space of time. This is the best road ever in Beitbridge town,” said a motorists Miss Netsai Chikwanda.

Beitbridge Residents Association representative, Mr Lawrence Tshili said Government had invested a lot in upgrading Beitbridge road through the Emergency Roads Rehabilitation Program (ERRP).

Bitumen World site engineer Tinotenda Hove recently said they moved on-site in November 2021 and had done over 100 percent of the civil works on the dual carriageway.

“We have opened the whole 5km to traffic. That is between the roads leading to Harare and Bulawayo,” said Engineer Hove.

“At the moment, we are seized with ancillary works including installing street lights, cabbing, paving, and sprucing up the two traffic circles. The two unique traffic circles (roundabouts) will have Great Zimbabwe Monument conical towers at the top which will be 6 meters high and 6 metres wide.”

He said although the dual carriageway appeared to be shorter, it took much time to complete because there are a lot of critical service accessories cutting through the road.

A section of the 5km upgraded road linking Beitbridge border post and the major highways to Bulawayo and Harare- Picture by Thupeyo Muleya

The contractor had to work with other stakeholders to avoid disrupting telecoms, electricity, and water and sewer reticulation facilities.

Eng Hove said they were now working on underground storm water drains and 18kms cabbings on the dual road and the pedestrian walkways on either side of the road.

“The cabbings are for preventing trucks from moving out of the highway. We have put 18km of cabbings we are laying on the dual carriageway and we are almost done,” he said.

“At all major junctions and traffic circles, we put interlocking pavers (g-blocks) instead of concrete which help with the turning effect of heavy vehicles and diesel spillages.

Since we came here, we realized there were trucks queueing for more than 2km from the border, so we had to put a third lane on the design, which will have interlocking pavers to accommodate heavy trucks.” -chronicle