Introduction:
 In
1998 the total road network in Gambia was 3,742 kilometres long
consisting of tarmac roads as well as gravel, soil, bridges, feeder
and farm roads. The Road Conditions Survey of 1998 showed that
only 21% of the road network was in good condition, 33% regarded
as fair and 46% as in critical condition.
The network has increased recently due to the construction of
Kombo Coastal Roads Project
and the Essau to Farafenni stretch with a bridge at Kerewan in
the North Bank funded by the Kuwaiti Government. The planned construction
of the Serrekunda - Mandina
Ba Road (Phase II) jointly funded by the IDB, OPEC and government
will further expand the tarmac component.
The med-term aim is to achieve the objectives of the highways
transport sub-sector is through private sector and government
participation in route rehabilitative maintenance and building.
In the long term, the functions of management, growth and roads
maintenance will be financed from resources of a special Road
Fund and transferred to the Highway Authority.
The total length of the network of roads listed below are 190km
of tarmac or paved roads and 66km of graded laterite roads. The
estimated cost is over D290 million. These infrastructural developments
are vital for the development of the economic
sectors of tourism, trade haulage, agriculture, fisheries
and the efficient movement of the labour force.
Road projects completed (1994 to 2007):
| Place
Names:- |
Cost |
Length |
| |
Million |
Kilometres |
Airport
Rd.
(dual carriageway in complex) |
D4m |
2 |
| Army Barracks Rd. |
D300,000 |
0.6 |
| Bakau
Main Rd. |
D450,000 |
2 |
| Basse Main
Rd. |
D3.5m |
3.6 |
| Basse to Sabi Rd. |
D5m |
10 |
| Basse to Fatoto Rd. |
D6.5m |
40 |
| Basse to Yorobawol |
D3m |
6 |
| Essau to Kerewan |
D71m |
52 |
| Fatoto to Koina |
D5.5m |
10 |
| Ibo Town |
D1.2m |
1 |
| Kombo
Coastal |
D168m |
112 |
| Kotu Silo Rd. |
D3.02m |
2.5 |
| Lamin to Mandinary |
D10m |
7 |
| Latkumba Lowe |
D4.2m |
1.5 |
| Tabokoto to Sinchu Alhagie |
D8m |
5.6 |
| |
|
|
| The above includes conduits. |
| New
/ Proposed Roads |
Cost |
Length |
| |
Million |
Kilometres |
| Barra - Amdalaye |
D190.8 million |
20km |
| Basse -
Sabi |
D166 million |
10.3km |
| Brikama – Darsilami
– Dimbaya |
D99 million |
11km |
| Farafenni – Laminkoto |
D660 million |
115km |
| Mandinaba-Selete |
D88.92 million |
12.7km |
| Mandinaba - Soma Road |
D1.08 billion |
142km |
| Kerewan - Farafenni |
D360 m |
57km |
| Soma – Basse |
D486 million |
192.2km |
| Serrekunda
– Mandinaba |
D510 million |
28km |
| Trans-Gambia Highway |
D252 million |
24.4km |
| |
|
|
| |
On top of the above proposed and new roads and rehabilitations
essential bridge crossings have been constructed.
|
Bridges: |
D millions |
| Chamoi |
3m |
| Karansani |
2.3 |
| Kerewan Bridge |
43 |
| Sare Alpha |
2 |
| |
|
The above highways and routes come to a total length of over 600
Kilometres of paved or bituminised road and the total cost is
estimated to be D3.89 Billion. |
 |
Driving
Getting Around
