The second phase of the Obetsebi-Lamptey Interchange project is now under construction, causing severe traffic congestion for commuters who utilise the Kwame Nkrumah Circle-Kaneshie route in Accra.
The highway has been blocked by several roadblocks for more than a week, which has narrowed the road and reduced the amount of traffic that can pass at once.
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For many commuters in the capital, the Circle-Kaneshie route is essential because both neighbourhoods have sizable transport hubs where locals often catch cars to and from work.
Though the Kwame Nkrumah Interchange was initially constructed to facilitate traffic, the traffic bottleneck gets so bad that it causes a standstill there. It starts to pile up even before 8 am and again about 3 pm.
Because the section of the road in front of the Awudome cemetery is closed, traffic is so bad that it overflows into the Feo Oyeo road and passes in front of the New Times Corporation, Fan Milk, and Television Africa.
Unable to stand the traffic, some commuters decide to walk the remaining distance, while riders of commercial motorcycles, or “Okadas,” weave around the jams and commandeer pedestrian walkways.
Accra is known for its traffic jams, but throughout the past week, things have gotten worse, greatly inconveniencing commuters who have no other way to get to their homes or places of employment.
The second-tier junction from the Graphic Road towards Kaneshie—East to West was to be built as part of the 92 million euro Obetsebi-Lamptey intersection.
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The project, which began in February 2021, is anticipated to be finished by December of this year, intends to improve the quality of life for vehicles, pedestrians, and people by simplifying the current roundabout and constructing two flyovers.
