Footbridges on Bypass offer relief to pedestrians

For many pedestrians, crossing the Northern Bypass is an uphill task because it requires vigilance lest you are knocked by motorists.
Since 2009 when it was officially opened, the 23-km stretch has been one of the city’s accident-prone areas, with pedestrians being the most victims.

However, this could change following the construction of three footbridges at Kyebando, Ntinda and Naalya. A footbridge is only used by pedestrians.
The footbridges, set to be opened to the public in a month’s time, were constructed by Monta-engil, a Portuguese company currently upgrading the bypass.

Mr Carlos Graca, the structural works engineer of Monta-engil, said construction works on the three footbridges started in November 2016. He said they cost 3 million Euros (about Shs12b).
Mr Graca said the Kyebando footbridge was completed in May while Ntinda and Naalya ones were finished in July.
Daily Monitor has established that a team from Uganda National Roads Authority (UNRA) visited the footbridges last week to assess the works.

The roads authority asked the contractor to make additional works such as constructing handrails on the footbridges before the public uses them.
Mr Mark Ssali, UNRA’s head of corporate communications confirmed to this newspaper yesterday that the footbridges will be opened this month, adding that the contractor was instructed to address a few issues, which the team raised during inspection.
However, Mr Ssali declined to delve into details, saying they were internal matters.

Mr Graca yesterday acknowledged the directive, saying they were working on the issues.
However, he did not give the timeline on when they would finish.
“There are a few other safety measures like handrails which we have to add to the footbridges and when we are done, the public will then start using them,” he said.

Last month, Mr Allan Ssempebwa, UNRA’s media manager, said the footbridges were constructed in Kyebando, Ntinda and Naalya because the areas were suitable.
Asked when upgrade works on the bypass are likely to be done, Mr Ssempebwa said the works are currently at 60 per cent.
Mr Ssempebwa said they were delayed by compensation of land owners.
He said interchanges at Sentema and Namungoona will be handed over to the public by end of this year.

What residents say
Ms Jacinta Nannyombi, a resident of Kyebando, says the footbridge will ensure safety of pedestrians. “We believe this will reduce the number of accidents at this spot (Kyebando) which are mainly caused by speeding boda boda cyclists,” she said.

Ms Nannyombi called for more security on the bypass to prevent thugs from terrorising residents. Mr Denis Serwadda, a resident of Naalya, said the public should be warned against destroying the footbridges. “This is a very good development because crossing this road [bypass] has not been easy since it is sloppy and motorists drive at a high speed. The footbridge has really brought relief to us,” he said.

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