KCCA launches new plan to reduce Kampala’s traffic jam

As part of the greater Kampala urban development program, the Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) has unveiled plans to have 30 additional signalized traffic lights installed in the city.

According to the officials at KCCA, the installation of the traffic lights is expected to coincide with the construction and rehabilitation of more roads in the metropolitan area with a view of easing traffic congestion.

Speaking to the media during a news conference in Kampala, KCCA acting director of engineering, Eng Justus Akankwasa said the Kampala city roads rehabilitation project is to better air quality in the city by introducing scheduled eco bus transit services and the expansion of the non-motorized traffic networks.

Akankwasa said that 69.7km of roads in all divisions of Kampala will be improved under the Kampala city roads rehabilitation

“Over the years KCCA has put emphasis on improving urban mobility and connectivity in order to spur economic growth in Kampala and Uganda. Today, KCCA has tarmacked 646 kilometers of roads in Kampala. All of us here can attest to using some of these roads, ”he said.

In spite of some of these impressive achievements in expanding the road network in Kampala, Akankwasa noted that traffic congestion remains a major public policy issue in the city resulting in massive delays, lost productivity and economic losses, insecurity, pollution, and road accidents.

“KCCA is working with neighboring districts of Wakiso and Mukono to increase the road network and connectivity through a new program. The city still has about 1,464 kilometers of untarmacked roads,” he said.

He said the government signed a loan agreement amounting to US$ 1 75 million to fund the second Kampala Institutional & Infrastructure Development Project (KIIDP2) that is being implemented by Kampala Capital City Authority KCCA.