The Ebène Flyover, which aims at improving traffic flow along M1 and M3 Motorways and at Ebène Cybercity roundabout, was inaugurated, today, by the Minister of National Infrastructure and Community Development, Mr Mahendranuth Sharma Hurreeram.
The Minister of Land Transport and Light Rail, Mr Alan Ganoo; the Minister of Environment, Solid Waste Management and Climate Change, Mr Kavydass Ramano; the Parliamentary Private Secretary, Ms Marie Alexandra Tania Diolle; the Ambassador of the People's Republic of China to Mauritius, Mr Zhu Liying; and representatives from the Road Development Authority (RDA) were also present.
To the tune of some Rs 524 million, the contract for the project was awarded to Sinohydro Corporation Limited in December 2021. Works started in February 2022.
The existing road network at Ebène, including the Ebène Flyover was constructed in the year 2003, for the Ebène Cybercity development. Subsequently, in the year 2012, the Motorway M3 was constructed, connecting to the Ebène Flyover with a view, amongst others, to provide a direct link from the North and East to the Ebène region.
In a statement, Minister Hurreeram recalled that the rapid development within the central part of the country, namely at Ebène, Réduit, Moka and Highlands has caused saturation of the road network. During peak hours, it is observed that the Motorway M3 (Southbound) is severely congested due to the single lane traffic on the existing Ebène Flyover across Motorway M1, he said.
Moreover, he pointed out that the existing Ebène Cybercity roundabout which is highly congested is disrupting free flow of traffic from Rose Hill to Motorway M1/M3 and vice versa. He added that traffic coming from Motorway M1 (Northbound) from St Jean leading to Motorway M3 is also exerting additional pressure on the Ebène Cybercity roundabout.
Hence the importance, he emphasised, of the Ebène Flyover which will improve traffic flow in the surrounding of Ebène Cybercity where more than 40,000 people work.
Minister Hurreeram highlighted that works were carried out in very difficult situations without however causing any disruptions or diversions.
He appealed to road users to respect road signs and to be vigilant while driving. He also announced that the Ebène Flyover will be operational on Wednesday 18 September 2024 at 1 pm.
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For his part, Minister Ramano expressed satisfaction as regards the concretisation of the project and dwelt on the advantages of the Flyover. He pointed out that the Ebène Flyover project, undertaken by the RDA, will help to ease traffic in the regions of Trianon, Rose Hill, Ebène Cybercity, and St Louis.
Other advantages, he added, comprise the decrease in travel time for incoming traffic in the Ebène region thus improving the level of service by reducing traffic congestion and vehicle operating costs; and the boosting of economic development in that region by providing better connectivity.
The project
The project comprises the dualing of the existing Ebène Flyover on Motorway M1 with diverging lanes on both sides; the realignment of the slip lane from Motorway M3 towards St Jean on the Motorway; the realignment of part of the slip lane from the Motorway M1 towards Ebène; the realignment of the existing slip lane from Motorway M1 towards Ebène Trianon Link Road; and the construction of a new slip lane from Motorway M1 to Motorway M3.
The project also consists of: a Grade Separated Junction at Ebène Cybercity roundabout (near Ebène carpark); the dualing of Ebène Trianon Link Road from the Ebène Flyover to the newly proposed grade Separated Junction on Ebène Cybercity Roundabout; and the construction of a new Dumbbell roundabout including new slip lanes, a pedestrian underpass on the new proposed slip lane (M1-M3), and the relocation of existing Bus Layby on Motorway M1 (located Northbound) and Motorway M3.
