Ethiopia’s capital Addis Ababa is going to build bus rapid transit line for the first time in history. The Addis Ababa Road and Transport Bureau concluded an agreement with 3 contractors that will design the work and construct the lines.

The Bureau contracted with SAFEGE SA, French company and two local contractors.

The bus rapid transit is going to be built on the 16 kilometers Wingate –Jemo route. The design work will cost the Bureau 64 million Birr while the construction work will cost 2 billion Birr. The construction work is expected to be concluded in 26 months time.

Addis Ababa’s Master Plan incorporated 7 bus rapid transit lines which will be built until 2030, Engineer Fekade Azeze, General Manager of Addis Ababa Roads Authority, explained. He furthered, Ethiopia was the first East African nation to build bus rapid transit line.

The project is financed by a 50 million Euro loan secured from French Development Institute.

Upon completion the bus rapid transit line will transform the city’s transportation system and offer sustainable, modern and integrated transportation service.

Bus rapid transit line will enable buses to arrive at stations every 2 – 3 minutes while passengers will wait for only 4-5 minutes.

Source: Fana Broadcasting Corporate