The Kampala Outer Beltway, also known as the Kampala Outer Ring Road, is a planned road in Uganda. The largest and capital city of Uganda, Kampala, will be completely encircled by it.
The proposed route would begin on the Kampala-Jinja Expressway near Seeta in Mukono Town, some 16 kilometers east of Kampala. Running from Bukeerere in Mukono District to Nsangi on the Kampala-Mpigi Expressway, it would then extend west through Namugongo, Kira, Kasangati, Matugga, Wakiso, and Buloba.
The goal of this route is to relieve congestion in the nation’s capital and largest city, as well as on the streets and highways that lead to and from it. The road was expected to be completed by 2022 but this has not come to be due to a shortage of funds and an increasing budget for the road.
Reported in November 2016
Construction of Kampala Outer Ring Road set to be launched
The construction of Kampala Outer ring road is set to be launched as soon as the government completes its feasibility study.
The project which is estimated to cover a distance of about 100 Kilometers is set to change the face of Uganda’s capital.
According to the Uganda National Roads Authority (Unra) directorate of Network, planning, and engineering the government is looking forward to fully funding the project and they will consider local contractors on the same.
Mr Patrick Muleme, the head of designs at Unra added that the government has so far spent over 2 million dollars for the feasibility study and they expect the project to be started in early December.
Speaking to stakeholders in Kampala on Tuesday, Mr. Muleme said the government has contracted Prome Consultants, a local consultancy firm, and Egis International, a French consultancy firm, to undertake the feasibility study.
“Am happy to announce that the government has already allocated funds for the project and the local engineering group will ensure that the project is launched and finished within the set time frame” he added
Mr. Muleme said: “Although we have other express highways in order to reduce traffic in the city, there are still gaps which we think the new road will address since the city population and traffic are still growing and there is a need to address the challenges of urbanization.”
According to the National Population and Housing Census Report 2014, Kampala, is projected to become a mega-city of more than 10 million by 2030. This is one of the road projects that will ensure the city’s regular traffic is reduced and they have been on the rise in the current times.
The government though added that they will pump more funds towards improving the transport sector.
Reported in June 2014
100km ring road to be constructed in Kampala, Uganda
The Uganda National Roads Authority (UNRA) has confirmed that plans to construct a ring road to circumnavigate Kampala are in an advanced stage. The Kampala Outer Beltway is aimed at reducing traffic jams on the main roads entering the city center.
UNRA publicist, Dan Alinange, said the main thing UNRA is looking at is to distribute traffic, especially on Jinja Road and Entebbe Road when entering the city adding that the objective of the project is to ensure that commuters from Jinja to Gaba can connect straight to their destination without coming to the city center.
Last week, UNRA announced tenders for a feasibility study and the design plan for the 100km road.UNRA said that the road will start around Gaba, running through Mukono/ Seeta, Namugongo, Kira, Kasangati, Matugga, Wakiso, Buloba, and Nsangi, linking with the proposed Kampala-Jinja, Kampala-Entebbe, and Kampala-Mpigi express ways.
According to UNRA, a consultancy firm, which will carry out a feasibility study of upgrading the selected route to an express highway, including consideration of alternative routes and pavement design options will be contracted by September. The firm will also look at the environmental and social impact study, road safety assessments, land acquisition, and economic and financial analysis.
Urban congestion is increasing in Kampala at an estimated rate of 4.5% annually with increased motorization thus Kampala is facing heavy traffic jams, especially during the peak hours and the road can no longer accommodate current traffic. The Kampala-Entebbe Expressway is also part of the measures to decongest the Central Business District and enhance trade movement through, within, and out of the Greater Kampala Metropolitan Area.
The mandate of UNRA is to develop and maintain the national roads network, advise Government on general roads policy, and contribute to addressing of transport concerns, among others.
