The US$4.4 Banjul-Serrekunda Road rehabilitation project, which is being funded by the government of the Republic of China (Taiwan), is currently in progress with the sealing of major cracks as the first phase of the project.

The project, equivalent to D125M including 10% contingency, is expected to run for nine months and it is the first time such major rehabilitation is being conducted on the 12-kilometer road since its construction 20 years ago. Company Sahelian Enterprise (CSE), the contractor of the first construction of the road has again been awarded the contract.

The road is the country's major route linking Banjul, the capital city to the major commercial centres in the Kombos. It is envisaged that the completion of the road will aid the enhancement of the development of the country's business sector. The availability of first class road networks in the country, especially the Banjul-Serrekunda Road, will no doubt contribute meaningfully to the socio-economic enhancement of the country. Works on the road will entail the resurfacing and periodic maintenance.

Karamo Jaiteh, managing director of the National Roads Authority (NRA) said the rehabilitation of the road will involve three major phases before the final touches - paint marking or road furniture (fixing of reflectors etc). The phases, he said, will include the sealing of major cracks on the road (the first phase, which is currently in progress), while the second phase will be single sealing and the laying of a 4cm asphalt concrete as the final phase. "We hope that if the rehabilitation process is completed, it will take another ten years before major maintenance is carried out on the road," Jaiteh noted with optimism.

According to him, while the rehabilitation on the Banjul-Serrekunda highway is in progress, they will also address damages made on other minor roads like the one that links Jacaranda Restaurant at Cooperative to GTTI and the Jimpex Roads. Jaiteh further observed that there is no need to conduct a general rebuilding of the road because it is still in good condition (sub-layer is still strong).

Cause of damages on roads

Dilating on the damages done on the roads especially the Banjul-Serrekunda road, Jaiteh observed that this is mainly caused by overloaded trucks. According to him, the Ecowas regulations mandate heavy trucks in member states to load up to only 11.5 tons but that in The Gambia, they sometimes load twice as much.

However, to address the situation, Jaiteh disclosed that the National Roads Authority will work to ensure truck drivers adhere to the 11.5 ton limit. "This will serve our roads for a longer time and also save lives," he concluded. It could be recalled that the Banjul-Serrekunda road rehabilitation project was officially launched on Tuesday 13th October this year, by Lamin Bojang, minister of Works, Construction and Infrastructure.