M3 road (Zambia)

Last updated
Elongated circle 3.svg
M3 Road
Route information
Length434 km (270 mi)
Major junctions
Northeast endElongated circle 1.svg M1 in Kasama
Major intersectionsElongated circle 13.svg M13 near Chipili
Southwest end Congo Pedicle road at the Chembe border post with DR Congo
Location
Country Zambia
Provinces Northern, Luapula
Major cities Kasama, Mansa
Highway system
← Elongated circle 2.svg M2 → Elongated circle 4.svg M4

The M3 road is a road in northern Zambia that connects Kasama in the Northern Province with the Congo Pedicle border at Chembe in the Luapula Province via Luwingu and Mansa. [1] [2] The road contains two tollgates between Kasama and Mansa. [3]

Contents

The south-western section of the M3 road is the first section of a shortcut that exists between the Luapula and Copperbelt provinces of Zambia, as the area in-between the 2 provinces is part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. At the Chembe Bridge, the M3 becomes the Congo Pedicle road to the Copperbelt, which is a road maintained by Zambia on Congolese Territory.

Route

The M3 road begins in Kasama (Capital of the Northern Province), at a junction with the M1 road in the city centre next to the Kasama Golf Course. It goes westwards for 24 kilometres, bypassing Kasama Airport, to reach a junction with the D20 road, which provides access to the Chishimba Falls and the town of Mporokoso in the north-west. [2]

From the D20 junction, the M3 continues westwards for 135 kilometres, through the Kalense Toll Plaza, [3] to the town of Luwingu in the district of the same name. From Luwingu, the road goes westwards for 100 kilometres, crossing into Luapula Province, to reach a t-junction in the settlement of Mwenda in Chipili District, where it meets the southern terminus of the M13 road. [2]

As the M13 road ends at this junction, the M3 road becomes the road southwards. It proceeds for 23 kilometres to the town of Chipili. It then proceeds southwards for 55 kilometres, through the Ntoposhi Toll Plaza, [3] to the town of Mansa (Capital of the Luapula Province). In Mansa, the M3 meets the D94 road, which provides access to the resort town of Samfya on the south-western shore of Lake Bangweulu in the east. [2]

From Mansa, the M3 road goes southwards for 90 kilometres to reach the Chembe Border, where it crosses the Luapula River as the Mwanawasa Bridge (named after Levy Mwanawasa; also known as the Chembe Bridge) into the Democratic Republic of the Congo to become the Congo Pedicle road, which is a road maintained by Zambia on Congolese territory and which is used as a shortcut for motorists travelling from the Luapula Province (and Northern Province) to the Copperbelt Province (and North-Western Province). [2]

It becomes the M5 road at the Copperbelt end of the Congo Pedicle Road. [2] The Congo Pedicle Road is designated as the N36 route on the DR Congo road network.

Congo Pedicle road

The Congo Pedicle road is an important road, as it provides motorists in towns located in the Luapula Province (and Northern Province) with easier access to towns located in the Copperbelt and North-Western provinces.

It provides a much shorter route than the very-long circular route through Samfya, Serenje and Kapiri Mposhi for motorists wanting to travel from Mansa to the north-western area of the country and to the country's industrial and commercial hub of the Copperbelt.

The M3 road is the road that provides access to the Congo Pedicle territory and eventually the town of Mufulira in the Copperbelt Province from the towns of the Luapula province, making it an important route for motorists planning to save on fuel and planning to avoid spending hours on the road.

See also

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">T3 road (Zambia)</span> Road in Zambia

The T3 is a Trunk Road in Zambia. The road runs from Kapiri Mposhi via Ndola, Kitwe and Chingola to Kasumbalesa on the border with DR Congo. The entire route is a toll road.

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The M4 road is a road in the Copperbelt Province of Zambia. The road connects the city of Ndola with the city of Mufulira and extends to connect Mufulira with the city of Kitwe. As it is a v-shaped route, the M4 road starts and ends at a junction with the T3 road.

The M1 road is a road in northern Zambia. It connects Mpika in Muchinga Province with Mbala in the Northern Province on the border with Tanzania and the Lake Tanganyika port of Mpulungu via Kasama. The northern section is a toll road.

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The M13 is a road in the Luapula Province of Zambia that connects Chipili with Kawambwa.

References

  1. ↑ "Roads and Road Traffic (Amendment) Act, Cap 464 | Zambia Legal Information Institute". zambialii.org. Retrieved 2019-07-03.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Roads and Road Traffic Act | National Assembly of Zambia". www.parliament.gov.zm. Retrieved 2022-06-27.
  3. 1 2 3 "NRFA" . Retrieved 2021-12-01.
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