Sur Construction has concluded a 2.1 Billion Birr contract with Ethiopian Road Authority (ERA) for the design and construction of 55 Km road.

The agreement was signed between Zaid Woldegabriel, Director General for ERA, and Tadesse Yemane, General Manager of Sur, on Thursday, May 22, 2014. The contract awarded Sur segment of 275 Km road project from Maytsemri to Frewoyni.

The project has four phases and it is the third phase, from Tekeze River to Abadi, that Sur is awarded. The first phase is already finalized by Gemshu Beyene Construction PLC and it is the same company that is now working on the second phase of the project. The fourth phase, it is being undertaken by another company.

According to Samson Wondimu, Communication Head at ERA, the third phase of the project is divided into two and Sur is awarded the first segment. He added this was done because of the difficult terrain. As to the remaining part of the third phase, he said another contractor will be selected in the next fiscal year.

The third phase of the project is entirely funded by the Ethiopian government and is expected to connect Maytsemri and Hauzen, two detached Tigray cities. And the consultant for this phase of the project is Towers Consulting Engineering, a local company.

According to the ERA’s statement the road will have a 10 meter carriageway width in towns and a seven meter carriageway width in rural areas. It also states that the road will have overpasses and bridges as well as drainage pipes. The project is scheduled be completed after three years.

Source: Fortune