The Roads Authority says it has completed the first phase of the Windhoek-Rehoboth Road and the Windhoek-Hosea Kutako Road, at a cost of N$300 million, over a duration of two years.
According to Roads Authority’s CEO Conrad Lutombi, the development aims to improve connectivity between Windhoek, the Hosea Kutako International Airport (HKIA) road, and the southern-link to the Police Roadblock on the Windhoek-Rehoboth Road.
“The newly opened route is set to bring relief from congestion as this link allows traffic to traverse freely, bypassing the police checkpoint without passing windows. This diverts from our current route and alleviates traffic congestion,” said Lutombi.
He highlighted the complexities involved in acquiring land for such infrastructure projects.
“We had to gauge the landowners. And we are happy that the government finalised the process,” he said while addressing the challenges faced during the project.
The expansion of the road is expected to alleviate traffic congestion and provide easier access to key locations, including the military base and residential areas.
Lutombi noted that the Roads Authority is set to complete phase 2B next year.
“Phase 2B, around 21km long, concludes by November 2024. Our aim is to extend the road to align with the Rehoboth freeway and phase 2B which includes completing the entire road up to the airport,” he said.
The Roads Authority expects to complete its Freeway Project by May 2024 while the Windhoek-Okahandja Road, which has been under construction since January 2016, is expected to be operational by the end of August 2023.
This includes the current road Windhoek-Rehoboth freeway and other phases of the project include Omuthiya-Ondangwa freeway, and Walvis Bay-Swakopmund freeway and Ondangwa-Oshakati freeway.
Earlier this year the Roads Authority launched a N$15 billion five-year Integrated Strategic Business Plan (ISBP), which seeks to expand the national road network as well as upgrade gravel roads to bitumen standards.
The authority plans to construct and upgrade 700km to bitumen standard, 215km of gravel road, rehabilitate 715km, and re-gravel 2,800km, as well as rejuvenate 635 km to low seal bitumen standard.
The ISBP funds will be sourced from the Road Fund Administration (RFA) which will provide N$10.27 billion, and an additional N$1.22 billion through loans and grants, whereas the government will provide funding of N$2.78 billion over the five-year duration ending in 2026/27.
According to the RFA, Namibia’s road network is valued at N$101 billion, of which about 83% is unpaved.
