New Tanzanian bridge project moving ahead

Tanzania’s planned Kigongo-Busisi Bridge will span part of Lake Victoria and improve transport connections for the country’s Mwanza Region. The bridge will span the Gulf of Mwanza and replace a ferry service that connects with Mwanza City. The design calls for a 3.2km, cable-stayed structure carrying two lanes of traffic in either direction and also featuring emergency lanes. The Tanzania National Roads Agency (TANROADS) has awarded the contract for the bridge to two Chinese firms, China Civil Engineering and China Railway 15th Bureau Group.

At present around 1,200 vehicles/day use the Mwanza ferry service but with the new bridge, traffic is expected to rise to around 12,000 vehicles/day. The new link will improve heavy vehicle transport for Tanzania as truck drivers will no longer have to use a long detour between Mwanza and Geita. And the new bridge is also expected to help trade and transport with Rwanda, Burundi, Kenya and Uganda as it will provide an improved route.

The bridge will be the country’s longest when complete. Design work for the bridge was completed in 2016. The project was first conceived back in 1977. Estimates suggest the pricetag could be around US$265 million. The financing sources for the work have yet to be announced. The project may also include building 34km of highway to connect with the existing B163 route.