President John Mahama has announced that government has secured US$2 billion to finance the construction of the Accra-Kumasi Expressway, paving the way for work to begin on the major road project.

The proposed 198.7-kilometer expressway will stretch from Ablekuma in Accra to Sawua in Kumasi, with 175.6 kilometres involving new construction and 23.1 kilometres upgrading existing connector roads at the Accra and Kumasi ends to link the expressway to the existing road network.

The mainline will be a Class A facility featuring three-lane dual carriageways, a design speed of 120 kilometres per hour and a 36-metre road corridor.

The project will also include Class B connector roads with a design speed of 60 kilometres per hour, comprising the 17.9-kilometre Accra Connector Road and the 5.2-kilometre Kumasi Connector Road.

Eight grade-separated interchanges will be constructed near Ablekuma New Town, Adeiso, Asamankese, Akim Oda, Ofoase, Asante Ofoase, Lake Bosomtwe, and Sewua Junction on the Lake Road.

The project comprises nine at-grade intersections, eleven vehicular overpasses, fifty-five mainline bridges, 280 reinforced concrete box culverts, and fifty-six overpasses and underpasses.

It will include four service areas, eight toll locations, an operations centre with two monitoring sub-centres, three maintenance depots, and a fire station.

The project will also incorporate road safety systems, as well as civil and electromechanical works for an Intelligent Transport System.