Tanzania is set to commence construction of phase two of the Dar es Salaam Bus Rapid Transit (DART) in June this year.
The DART administration confirmed the reports and said that 88.9% of the project would be financed by the Africa Development Bank (ADB) while 11.1% of the project would be financed by the Tanzanian government.
Also Read:Uganda maps alternative routes for Binaisa and Namirembe roads project
Dar es Salaam Bus Rapid Transit (DART)
The DART project is 49% owned by the government and 51% owned by Simon Group Limited. The Usafiri salama Dar es Salaam Rapid Transit (UDA-RT) operates the system with Surface and Marine Transport Regularity Authority (SUMATRA) overseeing them.
Phase one of the DART begun in 2012 and was completed by 2015. The transit goes for 21.1km with 29 stations and a dedicated bus lanes. The project cost US $180m and was funded by the Africa Development Bank, the World Bank and the Government of Tanzania.
Phase two of the 20.3km DART project starts at Gerezani and City Council BRT station. This involves Kilwa Road, Chang’ombe Road, Kawawa Road, Gerezani Street, Bandari Road, and Sokoine Drive.
Project features
The project will be built with infrastructures such as 29 bus stations, one bus depot at Mbagala-Rangitatu and two bus terminals at Mbagala-Rangitatu and Kariakoo-Gerezani. Two fly-overs at VETA and Uhasibu will be constructed, Uhasibu and Non-Motorized Transport facilities and five feeder stations at Dar es Salaam University College of Education (DUCE), Mtoni Kwa Azizi Ali, Mbagala-Rangitatu, , Zakhiem and Misheni.
Alongside infrastructure development, feeders stations for phase two have also been identified as Charambe and Kongowe, all being connected to Mbagala Rangitatu, Mtoni Kwa Azizi Alli that connects North and South Tandika, Mtoni, Temeke and Buza while Kijichi Misheni connects Misheni, Kijichi and Mbagala Kuu. Another feeder route is the DUCE-Chang’ombe which connects Temeke, Kigamboni and Tandika area.
The DART Stakeholders have proposed mitigation measures to tackle matters that will arise during construction period such as relocation of commuter bus stand and removing of petty traders at Gerezani Kariakoo and Mbagala-Rangitatu respectively.
