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The Ghana Highway Authority (GHA) has commenced an exercise to decommission some of the dilapidated tollbooths along the Tema – Accra Motorway.
The exercise, which is expected to cost about GH¢1 million, will see the main booths situated on the motorway pulled down to improve safety on the road.
In line with that, the areas earmarked for the demolition had been cordoned off.
The abandoned tollbooths have become hotspots of crashes in recent times, with the latest incident being last Monday when a person was killed.
There have been complaints from members of the public about the situation along the Tema Motorway and the Kasoa Road, which are now in a state of disrepair and pose a danger to motorists.
In May 2022, a tipper truck crashed into two of the booths, leaving two persons injured.
Motorists have also complained that the tollbooths make it difficult to see oncoming traffic, especially at night.
Some miscreants also use the abandoned structures as hideouts to embark on criminal activities, including attacks on motorists, particularly at night.
Readiness
The Director of Road Safety and Environment at GHA, Joseph Atsu Amedzake, told the Daily Graphic that arrangements had been finalised for the removal of the tollbooths to make travelling safer for commuters.
“We are presently mobilising resources, equipment and personnel to enable us to commence work immediately,” he said.
When the Daily Graphic visited the Accra end of the tollbooth at about 2:50 p.m. yesterday, reflective cones had been placed within the cordoned area to warn motorists about the blockade of some of the lanes within the booth.
Mr Amedzake said it was a safety measure to prevent accidents, adding that “in the interim, we would also install solar-powered streetlights at the Tema and Accra ends of the tollbooths to address safety concerns while finding permanent solutions”.
Fixing potholes
Mr Amedzake further said that patching works of depressed areas of the motorway which continued to pose danger to commuters would soon be fixed.
The gaping potholes have also become a major cause of traffic congestion along the stretch which previously was the most preferred fastest route for many commuters travelling in and out of Accra to Tema and to other parts of the country.
Mr Amedzake appealed to motorists and commuters to exercise caution when using the affected sections of the motorway, while also encouraging them to obey speed limits to prevent accidents.
Source: myghanadaily
