Ethiopia inaugurates Abay Bridge the first cable-stayed bridge in East Africa

Ethiopia on Wednesday inaugurated the new Abay Bridge constructed at a cost of 14 million USD. The bridge was constructed with support from the Japanese government by the Japanese construction firm, Kajima.

The new Abay Bridge at 303-meter long will be the third longest bridge in Ethiopia. The longest bridge in Ethiopia is the 319-meter bridge over the Beshlo River and it was opened to traffic in October 2006. And the second longest bridge is the 305-meter bridge constructed over the Baro River in Gambela State.

The new bridge, when completed, will be 55 meters high, standing 22 meters above the existing one. There are also nine cables stretched on either side of the bridge, tied to the columns on each side, and there is no supporting framework put in the middle of the river. This feature makes it the first cable-stayed bridge in East Africa. It also has a clear 145-metre span.

The completion of this bridge marks the final phase of the project, and is believed to have immense significance in the traffic flow connecting the capital with the northwestern part of the country. Experts foresee that driving speed will double to 60Km per hour, and the volume is expected to increase from the current 360 vehicles a day to 729 in six years.

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