THE construction of the dual carriageway between Windhoek and Okahandja will cost N$2,5 billion upon completion, Roads Authority boss Conrad Lutombi said last Wednesday.
He was speaking at the celebration to mark the completion of a 10-kilometre stretch between Brakwater and the DÖbra River, which has now been upgraded to a dual carriageway, with the changing of traffic signs from green to blue.
The road, which cost N$335 million financed through a KfW loan, also has two interchanges for access to a freeway system south and north of DÖbra.
Lutombi said the B1 highway to Okahandja has been divided into four sections. The first section covers the stretch from the University of Namibia to Sam Nujoma Drive. The second runs from Sam Nujoma Drive to Brakwater, and then from there to DÖbra, with the final stretch running from Omakunde to Okahandja.
The fourth section is expected to be completed by 2019 at a cost of N$1,1 billion. By then, the company will have spent N$2,5 billion for the road from Brakwater to Okahandja.
“Section 4A of this project is progressing well. This section involves rehabilitation and upgrading to a dual carriageway of the road from the DÖbra River to the Omakunde interchange,” he noted.
Lutombi said the costs were high on section three of the completed road due to additional work like interchanges, and the construction of a five-kilometre service road along the eastern side of the new freeway.
“Each interchange consists of a freeway underpass leading to the adjacent arterial network, and two road-over-road bridges with four on and off-ramps to connect the freeway to the underpass service road crossing split level below the dual carriageway,” he explained.
The final section of the road, whose construction has already started, has interchanges and major concrete structures, as well as sections of the base. A seven-kilometre stretch is expected to be completed by June this year.
