Online Reporter
Freeman Razemba
Senior Reporter
Plans for the commissioning of the Manyame River Bridge and Mucheke River Bridge, which are both along the Harare-Masvingo-Beitbridge Highway by April 27 and 30, 2026, respectively, are now at an advanced stage.
The commissioning of the bridges will ease congestion, improve road safety and boost trade along one of the country’s busiest transport corridors.
Recently, there was also the construction of a 36km dual carriageway along the Harare-Masvingo-Beitbridge Highway from Chartergrade area to Harare’s city centre, and plans are underway to relocate the Skyline Tollgate.
The dualisation of the Harare-Beitbridge road near the Manyame River bridge was also part of the broader national highway upgrade, with a 15km stretch from Chartergrade to just before the bridge opened to traffic in July 2023.
Plans to relocate the Skyline Tollgate to the 36km peg along the Harare-Masvingo Road are now at an advanced stage.
Tollgates are generally not erected within urban areas, but are positioned beyond the edge of the urban development, or into the gaps between towns and cities, to avoid the complications of commuter traffic having to routinely pass through twice a day.
As part of the construction of the Harare-Masvingo-Beitbridge Highway, the Government is dualising the road as it approaches towns or busy areas, and already, from Beitbridge, about 5km have been dualised to where the roads to Masvingo and Bulawayo split, while between Ngundu Business Centre and Runde River, 16km is being dualised.
The Government dualised a 20km stretch leading into Masvingo on the Harare-Masvingo Highway and is targeting 36km as the highway heads into Harare.
On the Harare-Beitbridge Highway, there are plans to construct some footbridges and engineers from the Ministry of Transport have been engaged.
This will allow pedestrians to cross the highway safely. Crossing points for schoolchildren will be given special priority.
The Ministry of Transport and Infrastructural Development said the project marks a significant step in the ongoing modernisation of Zimbabwe’s road network.
