Accra, Feb. 12, GNA - Mr. Joe Gidisu, Minister for Roads and Highways, on Friday said the Ghana Highway Authority has designed new traffic calming schemes to ensure safety of both motorists and pedestrians on trunk roads in Ghana.

He explained that the initiative would comprise the erection of speed tables, jiggle bars, road marking and signs in settlements along trunk roads. Mr Gidisu was answering questions from Members of Parliament (MP) with regards the construction of roads in their individual constituencies on Friday.

The question stood in the name of Mr. Kofi Frimpong MP for Kwabre East, who was seeking to know measures being taken by the Ministry to prevent the frequent knock down of pedestrians on Asonamaso Nkwanta-Fawade-Ahwia stretch of the Kumasi-Asante Mampong main road and other roads. He said the authority had received tenders from prospective bidders for the construction of additional traffic calming schemes along the stretch of road and that tenders were at the evaluation stage. Mr Gidisu said it was expected that construction works would start by the end of the first quarter of the year.

He said the faded centre of the Kumasi-Mampong road had been remarked from Tafo to Agona with zebra crossings and mandatory 50km/h speed limits sings posted in most of the settlements. "In addition the rumble strip have been constructed in some settlements within the Asonomaso Nkwanta-Fawade-Ahwia stretch as s short term measures to calm traffic", Mr Gidisu said.

Mr. George Boakye, MP for Asunafo South, asked when roads in Cocoa growing areas in his constituency would be constructed, particularly Abesewa-Nnenyinaase, Denyase II, Kobeakrom, Nnobekew-Siana-Debrah Camp, Ntonso-Asanwinso, DenyaseI Juntion-Denyase I, Anwiam-Anwiam Nkwanta, Dodowa-Sikafrebogya, Amadu Nkwanta-Tete Kwao roads. Mr. Gidisu said routine maintenance would be carried out on the roads in 2010 but the remaining 3 kilometre section from Kotaraba to Nnenyanaase would be programmed for spot improvement in 2011. Mr. John Baloroo Doughr, MP for Lambusie, asked when the construction of the bridge over River Kulkarni in the Lambusie Karni district would be completed.

Mr. Gidisu said a steel bridge was currently being constructed over the Kamba Rive which was awarded under the Dutch bridges programme in December 2008 and was expected to be completed by February 2010. He said work was behind schedule as only the bridge foundation bases had been completed. Mr. Gidisu said the delay was due to the heavy rainfall that occurred between August to November 2009, resulting in the temporary suspension of the work, adding, works have now resumed and was expected that the work would be completed by June 2010. 12 Feb 10.