The Uganda National Roads Authority (UNRA) has announced a scheduled traffic diversion along the Kampala-Masaka highway to facilitate the construction of an interchange at Mpigi.
In a notice issued on Monday, UNRA disclosed that the works on the interchange are set to commence on January 29, 2024. The initiative is part of the broader 35km Busega-Mpigi Expressway project that began in 2016.
“In line with our commitment to enhancing transportation infrastructure, the Uganda National Roads Authority (UNRA) wishes to inform the general public about the planned construction of an interchange along the Busega—Mpigi Expressway alignment,” stated UNRA in a released statement.
To facilitate the construction, UNRA will implement a traffic diversion for motorists heading to Masaka, Lyantonde, Mbarara, and beyond. Motorists will be redirected at the Total Petrol Station in Mpigi to Mpigi Town roundabout, rejoining the Masaka Highway at Kalagala (3.5 km). The same diversion applies in the opposite direction for motorists heading towards Kampala.
UNRA assured the public that preparations for the traffic diversion, including directional signage and safety measures, have been undertaken to minimize inconvenience and ensure smooth traffic flow during the anticipated eight-month construction period.
The Busega-Mpigi Expressway project, initiated in 2016, was initially slated for completion by 2021.
However, delays were attributed to geological and technical challenges.
UNRA’s Executive Director, Allen Kagina, explained, “The original alignment was going to affect the railroad. You know the Kampala-Kasese Road also passes here, and Ugandans had built a lot on the dry ground, so passing an expressway in these areas was going to affect the settlements. So we shifted onto the edge of the swamp.”