Ethiopia’s first of its kind expressway, Addis-Adama Expressway, was inaugurated on Monday, May 5, 2014 in the presence of the Chinese Prime Minister Li Keqiang and Ethiopia's Prime Minister Haile Mariam. The Expressway was built at a cost of 11.2 Billion Birr, The Ethiopian Herald reported.

The Expressway is 84 Kilometers long and 31 meters wide with six lanes. It also has about eight Kilometers of link roads. The Expressway is said will cut the two and a half hours travel time to 45 minutes.

The road is built by China Communication Construction Company Ltd and it is owned by the Ethiopian Road Authority (ERA). The consultant to the project was Beijing Expressway Supervision Company Ltd.

The Chinese Premier said on the inaugural ceremony, the Expressway is a role model project that will further strengthen the two nations cooperation. He added, “You should deliver the high quality project and at the same time create more local jobs. I am very happy that 90 percent of the workers employed in this project were local people”.

Haile Mariam on his part said, the Expressway is a groundbreaking technology in the sector for it is the first of its kind in the entire East Africa. He added the completion of the project will enhance moving the nation’s economy forward.

According to Haile Mariam the Expressway will ease logistic challenges the country is facing between Ethio-Djibouti corridor. He further noted this is not the end of the project and that it will continue up to Djibouti.

“it creates conducive environment to our export as well as to local and foreign investors,” Haile Mariam added. 

The Expressway is expected to create some 400 job opportunity for the local people, said Zaid Wolde, ERA’s Executive Director.

The construction of the Expressway began four years ago and it is finished ahead of schedule.

Source: The Ethiopian Herald