Government to build bridge over River Volta

Parliament has approved a loan amounting to eleven (11) billion Ghana Cedis to construct a new brigade across the Volta River at Volivo on the Eastern Corridor Road.

The chairman of the committee who moved the motion on the floor of Parliament yesterday announced that the maturity period for the payment of the loan is 40 years including a grace period of 10 years, while the interest rate is pegged at 0.01% per annum.

According to a report by the Finance Committee of Parliament, the project will consists of a 540m long by 17.1m wide cable stayed bridge on concrete pier and abutments.

The committee explained that after completion of the Eastern Corridor Road, it will eventually become one of the main routes for the people from the South-north corridor.

The report stated that there will be heavy vehicular traffic on that section of the route because it is the shortest route to the northern sector of the country.

“This will exert much pressure on the Adomi Bridge. To reduce the impact of the pressure on the Adomi Bridge, it has become imperative to have more than one crossing point,” the report noted.

According to the Committee, the new bridge which is to be cited at Volivo in the Volta Region will have three spans- two outer spans of 96m and a middle span of 280m.

The main towers is said to be of 51.64m high and 26.4m wide at the base, and will be made up of a double bar arrangement reinforced concrete hollow tower.

The 540m long bridge will consist of two lane carriageway of 3.65m wide, 2.5m shoulders, 2m sidewalk/bicycle lane and railings, 3cm asphaltic concrete binder course and 5cm asphaltic concrete wearing course.