Tanzanite Bridge to close for two days

By The Citizen Reporter

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Dar es Salaam. The Tanzania National Roads Authority has announced that the

newly opened Tanzanite Bridge will be closed for two days to allow minor improvements on some of the infrastructure on the bridge.

In a public notice by the Tanroads Dar es Salaam Regional Manager, the authority said the bridge will be closed from 6am on Saturday April 23 to 6pm on Sunday April 24.

“During that period due to safety concerns motorists and pedestrians will not be allowed to use the bridge,” reads the statement.

The authority has therefore advised road users to opt for alternative roads of Ali Hassan Mwinyi and Kaunda Roads during the period.

The Tanzanite Bridge started its operations on February 1, and was officially opened by President Samia on March 24.

The Tanzanite Bridge was built by South Korea's GS engineering along the Coco Beach coastline in Oysterbay stretching all the way to Aga Khan Hospital covering 1.03 kilometers.

The project broke grounds in 2018. The new bridge is jointly funded by the Tanzania government and the government of South Korea at 82.9 per cent of the entire cost. It connects roads linking Aga Khan Hospital and Coco Beach and it measures approximately 6.23 kilometers at a cost of Sh256 billion.

With a 180-tonnage Capacity, the bridge is expected to ferry 55,000 vehicles or thereabouts per day, and this is expected to significantly reduce congestion along the overwhelmed independence-time Selander Bridge.

The old Selander Bridge was constructed back in 1929 and named after John Einar Selander, Tanganyika’s first Director of Public Works.