Online Reporter
Remember Deketeke
Herald Correspondent
CONSTRUCTION of the Mabvuku Interchange is progressing steadily, with geotechnical drilling and soil boring works already underway.
A visit by The Herald news crew to the site yesterday revealed specialised rigs being used to create boreholes for the extraction of soil and rock core samples.
These samples will be analysed for their physical and chemical properties, including composition, density, strength, and moisture content.
Engineers indicated that this data is crucial for determining the ground’s bearing capacity and stability, ensuring that the interchange’s foundations are safe and durable.
The boreholes will serve as the base for towering columns that will support the new bridge, anchoring the entire interchange firmly into the ground.
For many motorists who use the route daily, the project represents more than just a new structure; it symbolises a safer future.
A motorist Mr Sheunesu Hawu remarked that the interchange was long overdue.
“Besides delaying traffic, this area had become a black spot where several people died and others were seriously injured in road traffic accidents,” he noted.
“I hope that once it is completed, these issues will be a thing of the past.”
Another motorist, Mrs Precious Dhliwayo, expressed optimism about the timely delivery of the project.
“It is encouraging to see the project already taking shape. My hope is that the works will be finished on schedule so we can enjoy smooth and safe traffic flow and have multiple interchanges to minimize accidents,” she said.
The Mabvuku Interchange follows closely on the heels of President Mnangagwa’s commissioning of the Trabablas Traffic Interchange, which seamlessly links Simon Mazorodze, High Glen, and Chitungwiza Roads.
Similar to the Trabablas project, the Mabvuku Interchange is part of a nationwide initiative to ease congestion, reduce road carnage, and modernise transport systems in line with the country’s Vision 2030.
Other interchanges are planned for the Harare Drive–Mutare Road, Harare Drive–Liberation Legacy Way, Nemakonde Way–Harare Drive, Sam Nujoma Street Extension–Harare Drive, the Westgate and Kuwadzana Traffic Circles, and Churchill Avenue–Liberation Legacy Way.
President Mnangagwa has repeatedly emphasised the importance of such projects, stating that modern infrastructure is “central to easing congestion, reducing road accidents, and driving Zimbabwe’s long-term economic growth through efficient transport networks.”
