A new cut and cover tunnel project is being built in Ivory Coast
Belgian contractor BESIX is working on the project to build the Abobo tunnel in Abidjan, Ivory Coast. The firm’s subsidiary, BESIX Ivory Coast, has the role of designer and builder for the project. This will be a major project for the West African nation.
The Abobo Town Hall roundabout in Abidjan is for a 560m tunnel, including access ramps, which will carry the A1 national road and feature three lanes in each direction. Work on site is underway and is due for completion in 2023.
The project is being overseen by the Ivorian Ministry of Public Works and Road Maintenance. The A1 national road tunnel is intended to improve traffic flow in the Abobo area, a municipality of Abidjan with a population of over one million. The Abodo Town Hall roundabout is the intersection of several important roads, including those linking the economic capital to the east and north-east of the country.
Philippe Dessoy, general manager Business Development : “The construction of the Abobo tunnel confirms our strong presence in Ivory Coast and the quality of our partnership with PFO Africa. The Abobo site allows us to introduce one of BESIX’s other major areas of expertise, infrastructure, to Ivory Coast. And we are particularly proud to participate, under the aegis of PFO Africa, in the realisation of this first-class project for the benefit of Abidjan and the country.”
The tunnel will be built using the cut-and-cover method. The tunnel itself will be 210m in length, while the project is for a 560m road section including the two access ramps. The construction requires the excavation of 130,000m³ of trench, the placing of 4,000tonnes of reinforcement, and the pouring of 23,000m³ of structural concrete. The tunnel will also be equipped with the necessary facilities, including a gravity system for efficient drainage of rainwater, the latter being a key issue for the rainy season to prevent flooding.
