OUAGADOUGOU - The government of Burkina Faso has initiated a significant project to widen and modernize National Road No. 2 (RN2) from Ouagadougou to Ouahigouya, aiming to enhance road safety and streamline traffic flow.
According to Burkina Information Agency, Adama Luc Sorgho, the project was officially launched by Prime Minister Dr. Apollinaire Joachinsom Kyélem de Tambèla on Saturday. This ambitious undertaking, costing 68 billion FCFA, will extend over 16 km from the youth roundabout to the bypass intersection. The project is a collaborative effort between the Burkinabe government and Vista Bank, with PFO Africa Burkina Faso SA contracted for the execution over a three-year period.
The upgrade includes widening the road to two lanes each way, constructing side lanes for bicycles and local traffic, and building an interchange at the Rimkiéta crossroads. Additionally, the project will feature sanitation and drainage enhancements. This road passes through several districts and rural communes, impacting areas such as Tampouy, Kilwin, and Bissighin.
Minister Sorgho emphasized that the renovation is part of a broader transport sector strategy under the Action Plan for Stabilization and Development (PA-SD) 2023-2025. He highlighted the critical congestion issues on RN2, which have hampered its effectiveness in managing traffic flow. "The level of congestion on national road No. 2 no longer allowed it to effectively ensure road traffic," he said, advocating for the project's potential to significantly improve urban and interurban mobility.
"I invite the managers of the company and the firms awarded the contracts to above all use all their skills and all their technical skills to ensure the execution of the work in accordance with the rules of the art, and within the prescribed deadlines," Sorgho added.
This initiative is part of a larger effort to modernize Burkina Faso's infrastructure, as evidenced by the similar expansion project started on National Road No. 1 (RN1) just the day before, also aimed at easing traffic at the eastern exit of the city.