KCCA releases new city traffic routes
Walkway. Pedestrians take a walk on Namirembe Road. KCCA has announced new changes in traffic flow in the city with diversions that will see motorists redirected to diverse routes. PHOTO BY ABUBAKER LUBOWA
What you need to know:
- The Kampala Capital City Authority spokesperson, Mr Peter Kauju, cited the ongoing construction of the non-motorised section from Namirembe Road to Luwum Street and Clock Tower Flyover as the main reason for the reorganisation of traffic flow in the city.
Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) has announced new changes in traffic flow in the city with diversions that will see motorists redirected to diverse routes.
Under the new traffic changes, taxis plying Entebbe Road have been relocated from Old Taxi Park to Usafi Park and parking on Ben Kiwanuka and Burton streets has been suspended.
According to KCCA, the new traffic flow changes will take effect on Friday this week.
Usafi Park, which is about a kilometre from Old Taxi Park, lies behind Usafi Market on Mengo Hill Road.
The traffic changes will have direct impact on trade and traffic in the city centre.
Travellers going to Entebbe, Kajjansi, Zana, Namasuba, Kasenyi, Ndeeba-Sembuule, Kibuye and Ndejje will board and probably alight from Usafi Park, then walk a kilometre to the city centre.
This is the second time KCCA is shifting Entebbe taxi stages to Usafi Park. The first time, travellers and taxi operators refused to use Usafi Park, saying it was infested with criminals during rush hours.
The space in the Old Taxi Park left by the departing Entebbe Road taxis will be occupied by taxis going to Ggaba and Makindye Division. These include taxis going to Muyenga, Salaama, Kasanga and Buziga.
Mr Yasiin Ssematimba, a leader of taxi operators in Kampala city, said they agreed with KCCA on the new traffic changes to allow the Queensway flyover project to go on, but accepted to make amends when new challenges arise in due course.
According to the changes, Ben Kiwanuka Street will be turned into one-way and there will not be parking by any motorist on its sides up to Kyaggwe Road. Ben Kiwanuka Street from Luwum Street to Shoprite had been one way for motorists travelling to Entebbe side.
The street is a beehive of trade for wholesale businesses and trucks offloading and loading merchandise. The street was also an alternative loading and offloading area after the non-motorised project on Namirembe Road made it impossible for heavy trucks to access Kikuubo Lane.
Under the new changes, Burton Street between Ben Kiwanuka Street near Shell fuel station (near Old Taxi Park) and William Street near Yamaha Centre have been opened to two-way traffic for all motorists. The section has been one-way from Market Street to William Street.
However, motorists will not be allowed to park on the roadside of Burton Street between Ben Kiwanuka Street and Yamaha Centre, which means taxi passengers travelling to and from Nakawa-Kireka-Mukono and Kampala-Port Bell-Luzira routes will alight and board from within the Old Taxi Park.
Buxton Road, which connects from Sikh Road behind Shoprite to Burton Street near Mega Standard Supermarket, will be one-way for vehicles exiting the city. The road has been a major route for taxis travelling to Old Taxi Park from Entebbe road side.
KCCA also opened the section of Sebaana Kizito Road (Nakivubo Place Road) between Namirembe Road and Nakivubo Mews for two-way traffic to enable vehicles exiting the Old Taxi Park connect to Kafumbe-Mukasa Road in Kisenyi, a Kampala suburb and onward to Ring Road.
Mr Ssematimba said a road near Ham Tower, formerly Muteesa Memorial Stadium, is being constructed to connect Sebaana Kizito Road to Kafumbe-Mukasa Road.
