As reported by The New Times, a total of $335 million is needed for the Kigali Ring Road Funding. The Kigali Ring Road (KRR) project is a transformative infrastructure initiative that is expected to ease traffic congestion and also enhance transportation in Kigali, Rwanda’s capital.
Length of the Kigali Ring Road (KRR)
The proposed ring road encircling Kigali spans a total distance of 95 kilometres. This road will offer an alternative route for commercial cargo and also reduce the mounting pressure on Kigali’s urban core.
“Kigali Ring Road is designed to decongest the city. This will be achieved by creating another bypass route, especially for freight transport. The road will link all the national roads that serve Kigali and connect them to the new Kigali International Airport located in Bugesera,” stated Theogene Dusabumuremyi who is the Acting Director General of Transport in the Ministry of Infrastructure.
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Kigali Ring Road (KRR) Project Factsheet
Significance:
- The primary objective is to do away with traffic congestion within Kigali by providing a bypass route, particularly for freight transport.
- It aims to enhance transportation efficiency and connect national roads serving Kigali, including the new Kigali International Airport in Bugesera.
Project scope:
- The proposed ring road will span approximately 95 kilometers, encircling Kigali.
- It’s designed to facilitate inter-district travel without requiring commuters to pass through the city center.
Cost:
- The project’s estimated cost is $335 million.
Funding sources are:
- African Development Bank (AfDB): $100 million loan.
- European Union (EU): EUR 23 million grant.
- Green Climate Fund: $28 million grant.
- The road is planned to operate as a toll road under a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) agreement.
Implementation:
- Feasibility studies and preliminary designs have been completed.
- The Rwandan government is actively pursuing PPP models to secure financing and expedite project implementation.
- The project is being implimented under Rwanda’s Second National Strategy for Transformation (NST2), which runs from 2024 to 2029.
Key locations:
- The proposed route includes areas such as Ruliba, Mageragere, Gahanga, Masaka, Ndera, and Nyacyonga.
Additional measures on the project:
The Kigali Master Plan encompasses supplementary initiatives to enhance urban mobility, including:
- Dedicated bus lanes.
- Construction of high-capacity road junctions.
- Implementation of smart traffic management systems.
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Feasibility Studies and Preliminary Designs of the Road
Furthermore, he also confirmed that both the feasibility study and preliminary designs of the Kigali Ring Road (KRR) have been completed.
The Rwandese government is currently exploring public-private partnership (PPP) to fund and fast track the road project. There are currently ongoing discussions to finalise agreements and mobile resources.
The Kigali Ring Road will operate as a toll road that is under a PPP agreement. This will allow a private firm to develop and maintain the road while at the same time charging a nominal fee for a certain period in order to recover the investment costs.
The Kigali Master Plan gave a recommendation on the road project that suggested constructing it outside the built-up areas of Kigali as a high capacity corridor. This would be important as it would facilitate the inter-district travelling without necessarily having to pass through the city. As a result, this would greatly reduce congestion.
The key locations on the proposed route are Ruliba, Mageragere, Gahanga, Masaka, Ndera, and Nyacyonga.
Furthermore, the Kigali Master Plan also entails additional measures for the improvement of urban mobility. This will entail the introduction of high-capacity road junctions. Also, there will be implementation of smart traffic management systems to control congestion during peak hours.
Kigali Ring Road Funding
Funding for the project will be obtained from multiple sources. The sources include the African Development Bank and the European Union. As for now, the AfDB has approved an amount of $100 million that will be utilized to support urban transport initiatives in Rwanda’s capital, this includes the ring road.
Additionally, the EU has contributed a grant of EUR 23 million, while the Green Climate Fund has also made an approval of $28 million in support of the Green City Kigali Initiative. This also aligns with the Kigali Ring Road project.
Impact of the National Strategy for Transformation (NST2) on Kigali Ring Road and other Roads in Rwanda
It was also noted by Dusabumuremyi that some significant progress on the ring road project will be foreseen under Rwanda’s National Strategy for Transformation (NST2) . This strategy runs from 2024 to 2029.
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Under this national strategy (NST2), more than 300 kilometres of roads will be built and rehabilitated. Additionally, over 500 kilometres of feeder roads will be built in order to facilitate trade and also improve the general access to agricultural markets.
