Addis Ababa Gotera square Continues to confuse pleasantly
11 May, 2009
Fortune - The square at Gotera may remain as confusing as it had been in the past. For good reasons, though. Once having it out, drivers will rather have the delight of navigating through the interchange built by the Shanghai Construction Group of China (SCGC), after 22-months of hard work, although it was originally scheduled for 18 months.
It consumed over 100 million Br, obtained from the Chinese government in the form of a grant. The intersection at Gotera opened to traffic as of Friday, May 1, 2009.
Fikade Haile (Eng.), general manager of the Addis Abeba City Roads Authority (AACRA), was so pleased and seemed excited; he sent out a text message to the public announcing the official opening of the former “Confusion” Square. With the construction of the new interchange - Nations Nationalities and Peoples’ of Ethiopia Square - the history of that spot has changed.
Gone are the days of traffic jams, and the confusion of not knowing whether one has the right of way when crossing even during train advances.
The contemporary designed complex interchange with a number of overpasses help smoothen the traffic flow. For those who are not familiar with the web of entry and exit, it will certainly take a bit of time and focus, and more observation of the sign boards.