Work on Northern Bypass could be delayed

By Innocent Anguyo

The failure of the Uganda National Roads Authority (UNRA) to handover the sites required for conversion of roundabouts to grade separated interchanges could delay the second phase of the Northern Bypass.

Mota Engil, the Portuguese contractor undertaking the second phase of the Northern Bypass notes that as much as they initially planned to first lay emphasis on the interchanges because of their rather difficult nature, they have been forced to work on other sections of the road.

“Turning the roundabouts into interchanges is a more technical work that we should be doing now but we can’t because we haven’t received the land. We are still waiting for UNRA to handover the site as we proceed with other sections,” said Francisco Franca, the managing director of Mota-Engil.

Under the design for the second phase of the Northern Bypass, all the five roundabouts will be turned into interchanges. The grade separation included in the new design improves the capacity of the intersection by providing uninterrupted traffic flow (fly-overs).

The first phase of the road consisted of a 21km stretch, comprising 17.5km of single carriageway and 3.5km of dual carriageway between Hoima Road and Gayaza Road.

The existing intersections are all roundabouts with exception of Bombo which is a grade separated interchange.

Other additions in new design will bring about construction of three new footbridges; widening of grade junction at Sentema; and construction of five new grade separated interchanges at Hoima, Gayaza, Bukota-Kyebando, Ntinda Road and Naalya.

Bridge structures are the major components of the grade-separated interchanges, which will provide overpass at Hoima, Gayaza, Bukota-Kyebando and Naalya roundabouts and an underpass at Ntinda interchange. Further to the bypass works, service roads shall be constructed and utilities relocated as required.
 

President Yoweri Museveni looks an artistic impression of the expanded Northern Bypass during the commissioning at Namboole on February 23, 2015. Left is Kampala Minister, Frank Tumwebaze. (Credit: PPU)

The entire stretch of the Northern Bypass, from Bweyogerere, winding through the suburbs of Naalya, Kiwaatule, Kulambiro, Kigoowa, Bukoto, Mulago, Makerere, Bwaise, Kawaala Namungoona and Busega round-about is to be turned into a four-lane dual carriage road connecting to Entebbe Expressway.

Franca nevertheless revealed that UNRA was yet to issue the design for the intersection between Northern Bypass and the Entebbe Expressway, to be constructed by Mota Engil.

Franca made the remarks during a media tour of the on-going works on the second phase of the Northern Bypass.

UNRA's director of planning Lawrence Pario confirmed that required pieces of land were yet to be handed over to the contractor, saying they are yet to complete compensating people affected by the second phase of the bypass.

UNRA executive director Allen Kagina on Wednesday urged all landlords with compensation claims to file their complaints at UNRA’s call centre in Kyambogo, Kampala.

“Usually there are concerns over ownership of the said affected land because some people cannot prove ownership. But, the issue is not money because it is there,” Kagina said.

About 400 property owners are estimated to be affected by the second phase of Bypass and close to sh30b is projected to be spent on compensation.

The road project launched by President Yoweri Museveni four months ago will cost 60m Euros and take 30 months to complete.

Mota-Engil has now completed 20% of the work, having concluded filling the swampy sections of the site with.