The construction of the J.P. Magufuli Bridge (Kigongo-Busisi) connecting the Usagara-Sengerema-Geita Highway across Lake Victoria in northern Tanzania is 93% completed.
This was revealed on 13th October 2024 during Tanzania’s President H.E. Dr. Samia Suluhu Hassan’s inspection of the construction site.
The 3-kilometer bridge and 1.66-kilometer connecting roads are funded by the Government of Tanzania at a cost of TZS 716.3 billion, covering contractor payments, project management, compensation, and design.
The bridge is being constructed by the China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC) in collaboration with the China Railway 15 Bureau Group Corporation (CR15G JV).
The bridge design uses long-span bridge technology known as an “Extra Dosed Bridge,” featuring three main pylons, each 40 meters high, spaced 160 meters apart.
The bridge has a width of 28.45 meters, which includes two carriageways, each 7.0 meters wide for vehicles, with 2.5-meter-wide emergency lanes on each side. It also features 2.5-meter walkways on both sides, a 2.45-meter median separating traffic directions, 0.5-meter guardrails for vehicles, and 0.5-meter handrails for pedestrians.
The 180-tonne capacity bridge will allow 1,600 vehicles to pass at a time and represents an alternative to the current ferry connecting the shores reducing transport time and facilitating regional trade.
On a previous site inspection, the Regional Manager of the Tanzania National Roads Agency (TANROADS) in Mwanza, Engineer Paschal Ambrose noted that the project has provided a total of 29,211 jobs since it began on February 25, 2020, with 93.33% (27,262 jobs) going to Tanzanians and 6.67% (1,949 jobs) to foreign workers.
Ambrose outlined several benefits of the bridge once completed, including guaranteed 24-hour transportation access, the elimination of vehicle congestion previously experienced at the ferry crossing.
The bridge will represent a key link for the Mwanza Region, neighboring regions, and bordering countries and is expected to become a major attraction in Mwanza and a symbol of Tanzania, Ambrose stressed.
While presenting the project report, the Minister of Works, Innocent Bashungwa thanked President Samia for continuously providing timely funds to ensure the bridge’s construction is completed and operational by February 2025.
