OUAGADOUGOU — The Burkinabe government commenced extensive roadwork on Saturday to widen and modernize national road No. 2 (RN2), stretching over 16 km from Ouagadougou to Ouahigouya, aiming to enhance traffic flow and road safety.

According to Burkina Information Agency, Adama Luc Sorgho, this initiative, which features an outlay of 68 billion FCFA, is a critical component of the Action Plan for Stabilization and Development (PA-SD) 2023-2025. The project was officially inaugurated by Prime Minister Dr. Apollinaire Joachinsom Kyélem de Tambèla and is slated for completion within three years. Funded by the Burkinabe government and Vista Bank, the execution has been entrusted to PFO Africa Burkina Faso SA.

The expansion will convert the current roadway into a dual carriageway with additional lanes for bicycles and local traffic, including an interchange at Rimkiéta crossroads and necessary drainage and sanitation works. Minister Sorgho emphasized the upgrade’s urgency due to the increasing congestion that renders the existing infrastructure inadequate for managing traffic efficiently.

These improvements are set to traverse several districts and rural communes, indicating a broad-scale development aimed at bolstering the urban and interurban road network and enhancing the connectivity of Ouagadougou’s main arteries. The Minister called on the contracted firms to leverage their expertise to ensure the project’s completion on time and according to professional standards.

In related developments, the government also initiated similar works on national road No. 1 (RN1) on Friday, signaling a significant push to modernize critical transport infrastructure in the region.