Traffic Diversion for Busega-Mpigi Expressway Interchange Construction Begins
The Uganda National Roads Authority (UNRA) has announced that traffic along the Kampala-Masaka highway will be diverted starting from January 29, 2024. The diversion is necessary to facilitate the construction of a new interchange at Mpigi, a crucial element of the larger 35km Busega-Mpigi Expressway project.
According to the official statement released on Monday, January 22, 2024, the construction of the interchange is scheduled to commence on January 29, 2024. Motorists heading to destinations such as Masaka, Lyantonde, Mbarara, and beyond will be rerouted at the Total Petrol Station in Mpigi to Mpigi Town roundabout. They will rejoin the Masaka Highway at Kalagala (3.5km). The same diversion applies in reverse for those travelling towards Kampala.
| Diversion Point | Route |
|---|---|
| Total Petrol Station in Mpigi to Mpigi Town roundabout | Rerouting for destinations southward |
| Kalagala (3.5km) | Rejoining Masaka Highway |
The 35 km Mpigi-Busega Expressway project, awarded in 2016 to China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation in collaboration with China Railway 19th Bureau Group (U) Ltd, carries a contract sum of sh547.5b. Originally scheduled for completion by 2021, UNRA Executive Director Allen Kagina attributed delays to geological and technical challenges. Kagina explained that the original alignment would have affected the railroad and settlements along the Kampala-Kasese Road. To address these concerns, the project was shifted to the edge of the swamp.
Upon completion, the Busega-Mpigi Expressway is expected to alleviate traffic congestion along the Northern Corridor, connecting Mombasa Port to DRC, Rwanda, and Burundi through Uganda.
