FOR those who work in downtown Kigali, there is noticeable change in the patterns of movement to and from work. While in the past it was easy for someone to make it to work in a few minutes because of the light congestion on the roads, the situation has since changed.

Many people have to leave home as early as 5a.m to beat the traffic snarl up that builds up between 6-9am on roads leading to the city centre during the early morning rush hours. 

It’s a similar trend when people are going back home in the evening after work.  This is good indicator that more Rwandans are acquiring cars and thus a sign of development.

But the consequences that come with this development should be addressed before it gets to a level of a serious gridlock, may be a few months from now.

There is need to create more feeder roads to avoid congestion on the main roads leading to the city centre. The current heavy traffic during rush hours will only get worse in the future as more and more Rwandans own cars.

But it’s important that alternatives are put in place to address the issue of traffic jams. The city’s road network should be restructured to be able to handle the growing traffic in Kigali.

Therefore, the City of Kigali’s launch of a Rwf38.7 billion feeder road construction project that will see more suburban roads paved with cobblestones is a step in the right direction.

The four-year project will see 105 kilometres of cobblestone roads in the three urban districts of Gasabo, Kicukiro and Nyarugenge constructed.

The initiative is good for the general development of the city and as one of the incentives to attract more investments.

In the long run, the project will have a positive impact on communities and will spur economic development.

The feeder roads will ease traffic congestion as well as increase roads serving new suburbs.