adminTanaka Mahanya and Megan Gwaunza
RESIDENTS in the southern parts of Harare say completion of the Mbudzi interchange will eliminate traffic congestion and reduce the amount of time they spend on the road from the Central Business District.
Construction of the interchange, which started in October last year, is now 37 percent complete.
When H-Metro visited the site yesterday, construction workers were busy while some passers-by would briefly stop to catch a glimpse of the mushrooming structure.
Budiriro resident, Tendai Chinyama, said he hoped construction of the interchange would mark the beginning of serious development in their area.
“We hope there will be other major developments in our area after completion of this interchange.
“While motorists will largely benefit from this interchange, residents are also set to benefit through reduced travel time to and from work because the traffic gridlocks that used to occur here were of great inconvenience to just about everybody.
“There will also be less road accidents as was the case before due to traffic congestion as motorists raced to go first to save time spent at the old roundabout,” Chinyama said.
Another resident, Simbarashe Chirenje, said completion of the project would reduce robberies which used to happen when motorists reduced speed in the traffic jam.
“Thieves had free reign before as they just opened car doors and grabbed whatever they could knowing that no one could give chase.
“We welcome this development as residents and urge the Government to expand such projects to other parts of the city where traffic jams cause a nightmare for motorists and travellers alike,” he said.
Nickson Shariwa said vendors would benefit from the project as they would have a safe place to sell their wares.
“Vendors will have enough space to operate from. The old roundabout wasn’t safe as vendors risked being run over by careless motorists who drove recklessly off the road,” he said.
Online Reporter