Design works on the extension of the dual carriageway from the Military Firing range to Teshie in the Accra metropolis has been completed and construction would start by the end of this year.

Procurement for feasibility studies and detailed design has been initiated for the rest of the link within the corridor. This includes the widening of the coastal road from the Teshie Catholic Church to Sakumono Estate Junction and access to the motorway.

Dr Richard W. Anane, Minister of Roads and Transport said this at the first sitting of the third meeting of Parliament in Accra.

Mr Emmanuel Adjei Boye, NPP-Krowor asked the Minister as to what plans the ministry has for the construction of the trunk road linking Teshie and Tema through Nungua in order to reduce the current traffic congestion.

There would be the creation of a major turn to the north between the Lighthouse Chapel to the Police Barracks on to link Teshie a major by-pass to the Teshie Township.

Dr Anane said a local one-way scheme would also be implemented near La Scala using the existing coastal road and Martin Sowah road to ease the local congestion by the end of this year.

The implementation of works would follow the priority ranking established in the feasibility studies and would be programmed from 2003, he added.

Dr Anane explained that the extensive development of residential estates in the past decade-and- a half resulted in an increase in commuter traffic in the corridor lying between the Accra - Tema Coastal Road in the South and the motorway in the North.

He said however, improvement of the Arterial network and access to the Motorway has not kept pace with the increase in traffic demand and this has resulted in traffic congestion on the Accra - Tema coastal Road.

Alhaji Amadu Seidu, NDC- Yapei-Kusawgu asked the Minister whether he was aware that part of the congestion on the trunk road was caused by the illegal use of articulated trucks and what steps the ministry had to rectify the situation to which the Minister said the issue would be considered to arrive at a suitable solution.