Namibia’s roads paved with money

WINDHOEK – Damage caused to Namibian roads, mainly because of the overloading of heavy vehicles, is estimated to cost the State N$34 million a year.

If the costs for 20 years were added up, this would amount to N$680 million at current prices. But the Roads Authority (RA) is fighting to alleviate the situation so that the massive funds needed to repair the damage can be used for something else.It is against this background that the RA has embarked on the construction of a weigh bridge programme in order to control over-loading.The programme consists of 12 facilities countrywide, of which five sites (at Noordoewer and Ariamsvlei at the border with South Africa, at Onhuno on the border with Angola as well as Walvis Bay and Brakwater) were inaugurated on Friday.Two further weigh bridges, one south of Windhoek and another one in Katima Mulilo, are currently under construction and are expected to be completed before the end of this year.The other five will be built by 2007.On Friday, Works, Transport and Communication Minister Moses Amweelo officially opened the Brakwater Weigh bridge outside Windhoek that will control heavy vehicles moving through the capital.Amweelo said the weigh bridge programme was a cost-effective investment to protect the road network from rapid deterioration.The weigh bridge went into operation in December last year and over 100 heavy vehicle drivers have been arrested for overloading.The overloading control operations, Amweelo said, would reduce heavy vehicle overloading from 28 per cent in 2001 to a mere three per cent on average.He said the weigh bridge facilities were aimed at protecting road infrastructure – not making money or punishing people.- NampaBut the Roads Authority (RA) is fighting to alleviate the situation so that the massive funds needed to repair the damage can be used for something else.It is against this background that the RA has embarked on the construction of a weigh bridge programme in order to control over-loading.The programme consists of 12 facilities countrywide, of which five sites (at Noordoewer and Ariamsvlei at the border with South Africa, at Onhuno on the border with Angola as well as Walvis Bay and Brakwater) were inaugurated on Friday.Two further weigh bridges, one south of Windhoek and another one in Katima Mulilo, are currently under construction and are expected to be completed before the end of this year.The other five will be built by 2007.On Friday, Works, Transport and Communication Minister Moses Amweelo officially opened the Brakwater Weigh bridge outside Windhoek that will control heavy vehicles moving through the capital.Amweelo said the weigh bridge programme was a cost-effective investment to protect the road network from rapid deterioration.The weigh bridge went into operation in December last year and over 100 heavy vehicle drivers have been arrested for overloading.The overloading control operations, Amweelo said, would reduce heavy vehicle overloading from 28 per cent in 2001 to a mere three per cent on average.He said the weigh bridge facilities were aimed at protecting road infrastructure – not making money or punishing people.- Nampa