Prime Minister of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia Abiy Ahmed has laid the foundation stone to mark the start of construction of the first section of the Adama-Awash Expressway project along the Ethiopia-Djibouti transport corridor.
The project mainly involves construction of a four-lane 60 km road that connects Adama city, the capital of the East African country’s largest Oromia regional state, to Nura Era and Wolenchiti.
The project, which will be undertaken by a JMC and LRBCL joint venture, also includes construction of a One-Stop Border Post (OSBP) at Gaulile. The project is expected to be completed in a period of four years.
The expressway is expected to help alleviate challenges related to traffic congestion and ease traffic flow and consequently ease burden on the economy caused by traffic disruptions and high transport costs.
The construction cost of the Adama-Awash Expressway is estimated to be close to USD 154 million, and it will be covered by the government of the East African country and the Africa Development Bank (AfDB).
AfDB through the African Development Fund (ADF) has already committed a USD 98 million grant for the project.