One of the greatest edifices or monuments that the people of Central Region would remember the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) for is the Kasoa Interchange.
Apart from the people of the region, everyone who plies the Kasoa stretch of the international road would attest to the fact that, even though the project has not totally been completed, it has eased the unbearable traffic congestion there.
The then President John Mahama on November 29, 2016 commissioned the first phase of the $160-million 270-meter interchange at Kasoa.
The first phase of the commissioning was the main Kasoa-Cape Coast section after its near completion leaving Bawjiase and Nyanyano section of the interchange.
This was expected to reduce vehicular traffic on the Accra-Cape Coast road and also minimize pressure on the N1 Highway. It is being financed fully by a loan facility from the Brazillian government with a Brazilian company Queiroz Galvao as the contractor.
Barely a year after the commissioning, the good news is turning a bad news for commuters.
In the first place, even though traffic congestion has eased at Kasoa end of the Mallam-Cape Coast highway, the disturbing traffic has rear its head at the Liberia Camp [Gomoa Budumburam], creating great discomfort to passengers and drivers.
Immediately after using the interchange at Kasoa, you are hit by the heavy traffic jam which begins few meters from the Kasoa Police Station through to after Budumburam. Drivers spend several hours in traffic covering such a short distance that hitherto takes less than 20 minutes to cover.
For those coming from Cape Coast, Winneba you meet this gargantuan vehicular traffic few meters after Winneba junction right to after Budumburam Refugees Camp.
Fridays, Saturday and Sundays are hectic time for drivers as they spend several hours in traffic.
As a result, drivers, especially, commercial drivers, turn the shoulders of the roads into alternative roads putting the lives of other road users in danger.
SUGGESTIONS
I am of the view that these three things can decongest the heavy traffic on that section of the road:
- Dualization of the road
- Overhead footbridge at Budumburam
- Stopping the Illegal bus stops
I am of the view that the road from Kasoa to Budumburam should be dualized and not a single lane as it is now due to the volume of vehicles that ply on the road daily.
Government, must as a matter of urgency, prevails on the Ghana Highway Authority (GHA) to construct an overhead footbridge at Budumburam main lorry station to stop people from crossing indiscriminately. Residents cross indiscriminately on that stretch of the road and as such vehicles turns to slow down whenever they reach that section of the road.
The last measure to halt the traffic is the illegal bus stops by commercial vehicles on that road, especially, at the Budumburam Camp. Commercial drivers both to and from Accra and Cape Coast, have turned a fuel station which is close to the Budumburam Camp market into loading point. Due to this, drivers slow down in addition to the pedestrians who are also crossing and all these compound the traffic situation on the road.
I am of firm conviction that these measures or interventions would improve the traffic flow on the road.
By Kweku Antwi-Otoo|3news.com|Ghana
The writer is a Producer with TV3 New Day