Online Reporter
Raymond Jaravaza, Chronicle Reporter
THE Bulawayo City Council (BCC) will spend over US$1 million on rehabilitating a section of Lobengula Street and Third Avenue, roads that had become riddled with potholes and nearly impassable for motorists.
Lobengula Street and Third Avenue are among the busiest entry and exit points in the city, particularly for commuter omnibuses servicing the Luveve Road routes that connect the city centre to suburbs such as Entumbane, Njube,
Lobengula, Emakhandeni, Gwabalanda, Luveve, Nguboyenja, and Cowdray Park among others.
The intersection at Lobengula Street and Third Avenue had become a nightmare for motorists navigating in and out of the city centre.
Acting BCC director of works, said the council will spend in excess of US$1 million on the rehabilitation project.
“A detour has been created to divert traffic while rehabilitation works on part of Lobengula Street and Third Avenue are in progress, and this has contributed to the overall project cost.
“We have to constantly add gravel and compact it, as well as suppress dust on the detour, so in total, council will spend more than US$1 million for the complete rehabilitation of this section,” said Engineer Dibidi.
A few months ago, Bulawayo Mayor David Coltart told Zimpapers that the rehabilitation of the Lobengula Street and Third Avenue intersection was necessary to improve the storm water drainage system, hence a complete reconstruction of the road was required.
Councillor Coltart said problematic culvert pipes that were constantly blocked had given BCC teams a hard time to unblock.
A culvert pipe is used to facilitate the flow of water under roads, railways, and other man-made structures, and is essential in preventing water from accumulating on roads.
“Once the drainage issues on Lobengula Street are resolved, BCC will shift focus to reconstructing the Third Avenue eastbound approach to Lobengula Street,” said Clr Coltart.
He noted that the prolonged closure of Third Avenue between Lobengula Street and Fort Street, which was closed to traffic for over six months, caused delays in addressing the pothole menace in the area.
Clr Coltart added that it had become difficult to patch potholes on the Third Avenue approach to Lobengula Street due to the constant flow of wastewater from nearby shops, which could not drain properly because of blocked culvert pipes.
Kombi drivers who spoke to Zimpapers said the area had become difficult to navigate due to potholes.
“It’s been a very difficult year driving into Lobengula Street, which was full of potholes and resembled a dusty road after the tarred surface was completely damaged,” said kombi driver Mr Lameck Mukuru.
Another kombi driver said they were forced to avoid the battered intersection by driving into a nearby taxi rank situated just after the McKeurtan Primary School sports fields.
Bulawayo United Passenger Transporters Association (Bupta) chairman, Mr Morgan Msipa, bemoaned the state of roads in the city, saying vehicle owners are spending more on maintenance and repairs.
“Bad roads are not good for business because operators spend more money on vehicle repairs. The only way for the operator to make a profit and stay in business will be to pass on the costs of vehicle maintenance by increasing fares, which is a decision we don’t want to take for the sake of our passengers,” said Mr Msipa.
