Three weeks after expansion works began on the Prince House–Giporoso–Masaka road, the first visible signs of the Rwf130 billion project are beginning to emerge, with machinery now operating along sections of the corridor and ground preparation underway.

Construction started on August 30, following months of preparations that included the valuation and demolition of properties along the planned road expansion.

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More than Rwf30 billion has been paid in compensation to property owners affected by the project, according to the Rwanda Transport Development Agency (RTDA). At least 530 properties were valued for compensation.

With the construction phase underway, at Giporoso, heavy machinery is working at different points along the road, while some sections have been cleared as the Chinese contractor begins the earthworks.

The changes are not limited to the construction sites. Motorists using the corridor have also had to adjust to new traffic arrangements introduced, with traffic now restricted to one lane in each direction along what was previously a two-lane section in the busiest parts of the corridor.

Authorities identified alternative routes for different categories of road users, including motorists travelling towards Kabuga, Kanombe, the airport and other parts of the city. Trucks have also been directed to use longer alternative routes during the works.

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The project covers about 10.3 kilometres and includes the expansion of roughly nine kilometres of the existing road into a six-lane carriageway, as well as a flyover, underpass, interchanges, bridges, drainage infrastructure and street lighting, according to the Ministry of Infrastructure.

The design is intended to separate some of the traffic movements that currently converge around Prince House and Giporoso.

A planned flyover will carry traffic between Kabeza and the Chez Lando area, while other traffic movements will use separate alignments. The project is expected to reduce the points where different streams of traffic currently meet.

The project has a 30-month implementation period. However, authorities have challenged the contractor and other stakeholders to explore ways the works can be completed in less than 20 months without compromising on quality and expected results.