Own Reporter
Road users in the Northern districts of the country can look forward to reduced travel times and safer travel on the A1 Road between Ha ‘Malesaoana (Leribe) and Butha-Buthe traffic circle once the rehabilitation of the road is completed.
The plant and design-build rehabilitation project is carried out by China Geo Engineering Pty Ltd at a cost of M214 Million. The estimated duration for the project is eighteen (18) months. Funding for the works is provided by the Road Fund.
The scope of the project includes design, rehabilitation and reinstatement of pavement layers, replacement and improvement of culverts and other road drainage structures, asphalt concrete paving and shoulder repairs. The rehabilitation works will also address maintenance of additional road works such as road markings, guardrails and signage.
The 22.5 km project begins at ‘Malesaoana village East of Hlotse town, traversing the Levi’s Nek Pass, up to the Botha-Bothe traffic circle.
Road users are advised to expect some time delays and rough travel surfaces during the rehabilitation and therefore urged to exercise patience and caution and to obey the traffic signs.
Linking, Maseru city with three districts in the northern part of Lesotho, the A1 Road is one of the key national arteries for trade as it facilitates easy movement of goods and services to numerous mines and the Polihali project. The road also feeds traffic into the four border posts linking the country with South Africa through the Free-State and KwaZulu-Natal Provinces.
Constructed around the early 80’s, the A1 Road like most of Lesotho ‘s primary network has reached its design life, requiring rehabilitation in order to recover the road asset value. Other sections of the A1 Road that have been rehabilitated are Maqhaka to Hleoheng, Hlotse to ‘Malesaoana and Oxbow to Mapholaneng.
