Lungi Bridge

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The Lungi Bridge Project is a proposed major infrastructure project in the West African country of Sierra Leone. [1] [2] The 7km long bridge will link the Lungi area to Freetown, passing over the estuary of the Sierra Leone River.

Freetown International Airport is located at Lungi. Transit between Freetown and the airport currently requires a boat journey or a road trip that can take 3 hours.

The project was announced by President Julius Maada Bio. Its projected cost was initially $2bn, making it the country's largest infrastructure project. In a state of the nation address in May 2021 the budget was reduced to $1.2bn with a claim that construction would start later in the year. [3] In December 2023 it was reported that the Government of Sierra Leone had signed a contract worth $1.5bn with the China Road and Bridge Corporation with construction expected to commence by the end of 2024. [4] The construction is expected to take 3 years to completion.

History

Lungi International Airport was originally constructed as a base for the British Royal Air Force and was subsequently converted for civilian use. Lungi Airport is the country's only international airport. The difficulty with travelling between the airport and Freetown had always been a problem with various boats from canoes, government ferry and fast boats used to cross the estuary. In the past, helicopters, a hovercraft and light aircraft (to Hastings airfield) were used to pass over the Sierra Leone River estuary.

The previous government of Ernest Bai Koroma had proposed the new Mamamah International Airport, located near Songo Village, Koya Chiefdom in Port Loko District. The project was subsequently cancelled by President Julius Maada Bios government. [5]

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References

  1. ↑ "Sierra Leone president opens bids for 7 km airport bridge". Reuters. 19 June 2019. Retrieved 2019-07-20– via uk.reuters.com.
  2. ↑ "Sierra Leone to build US $2bn Freetown-Lungi bridge".
  3. ↑ "Construction of Lungi Bridge to commence soon at $1.2 billion – says president Bio in state of nation address".
  4. ↑ "Chinese Firm to Help Build $1.5 Billion Bridge in Sierra Leone".
  5. ↑ "Mamamah airport: Sierra Leone cancels China-funded project". BBC News.

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