Awash Bridge Opens to Traffic

Awash, Ethiopia – On Friday December 5, 2014 a new bridge over the Awash River along the Ethiopia-Djibouti road opened to traffic. The structure was wholly financed by the aid arm of the Japanese government.

The 145m bridge is located five kilometres from Awash town, in the Afar Regional State, 220Km south east of the capital. The bridge replaces an old bridge which was constructed 40 years ago. The new bridge is 9.5m wide and includes 935m of new road linking it to the main road at either end. It cost Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) 240 million Br, said Melaku Getachew, JICA is communication officer.

The bridge was constructed by Soto Kijol with the consultancy of Central Construction, both of which are Japanese firms undertaking their first projects in Ethiopia. Both the old and new bridges will remain in service, although the old bridge needs minor maintenance, Ethiopian Roads Agency (ERA) says.

Read more at: Addis Fortune