The much anticipated Accra Kumasi Expressway will incorporate eight grade separated interchanges, 11 vehicle overpasses and 55 mainline bridges under an extensive infrastructure design intended to significantly improve road safety, ease congestion and enhance the movement of people and goods along one of Ghana’s most important transport corridors.
The Managing Director of Accra Kumasi Expressway Limited, Engineer Francis Ahlidza, disclosed the details on Monday, September 14, 2026, during the formal handover of 175.6 kilometres of cleared right of way by the Ghana Armed Forces for the construction of the major highway.
According to Engineer Ahlidza, the project will span approximately 198.7 kilometres between Ablekuma in the Greater Accra Region and Sewua in the Ashanti Region, making it one of the country’s most significant road infrastructure undertakings.
He explained that the project would comprise approximately 176 kilometres of newly constructed expressway together with about 23 kilometres of upgraded connector roads linking the main highway to the Accra and Kumasi ends of the corridor.
The main carriageway, he said, would be constructed as a Class A highway featuring a three lane dual carriageway established on a standard 36 metre roadbed and designed for a maximum speed of 120 kilometres per hour.
The connector roads, in contrast, would be developed as Class B roads with a prescribed speed of 60 kilometres per hour, providing motorists with improved access between the principal expressway and surrounding communities and transport routes.
Engineer Ahlidza said the expressway would also feature nine at grade intersections, approximately 200 reinforced concrete box culverts and four strategically located service areas where motorists would be able to rest, obtain food and refreshments and attend to basic vehicle needs during their journeys.
The scale of the proposed infrastructure, he explained, reflects the project’s objective of creating a modern and safer alternative to the existing route while improving traffic movement and reducing delays along the Accra Kumasi corridor.
The eight grade separated interchanges will enable traffic to move between intersecting routes without requiring vehicles to cross directly through opposing streams of traffic, while the 11 vehicle overpasses and 55 mainline bridges will facilitate safer movement across roads, waterways and other physical obstacles along the route.
The project will further incorporate eight tolling locations, together with one central operating centre and two monitoring centres, which will provide authorities with the capacity to observe traffic conditions, identify incidents and coordinate rapid responses along the expressway.
Engineer Ahlidza said additional emergency and maintenance infrastructure would also be established to ensure that the road remains functional, safe and properly maintained throughout its operational life.
The planned facilities will include a fire service station and an ambulance station, as well as three maintenance depots positioned to support emergency response, routine repairs and other operational requirements.
The expressway will also be equipped with road safety installations and extensive electromechanical systems designed to support an intelligent transport system.
These facilities are expected to strengthen the monitoring and management of traffic while improving the ability of operators to respond promptly to accidents, breakdowns and other emergencies that could disrupt movement along the corridor.
Engineer Ahlidza said the completed project was expected to produce substantial reductions in both travel distance and journey time between Ghana’s two largest economic centres.
He indicated that the new route could shorten the distance between Accra and Kumasi by approximately 50 kilometres, while cutting average journey times by about 50 percent.
The project is also expected to reduce transportation costs by approximately 40 percent, potentially lowering the financial burden on commercial operators, private motorists and businesses that depend heavily on the Accra Kumasi corridor for the movement of passengers and goods.
“When completed, this road will provide safer and more reliable transport and reduce the pressure on the N6,” he said.
The proposed expressway is expected to become a major component of Ghana’s national transportation infrastructure, particularly because the existing N6 corridor carries substantial volumes of passenger and commercial traffic between the southern and central parts of the country.
Beyond improving travel between Accra and Kumasi, the project is expected to strengthen economic connectivity by making the movement of agricultural produce, manufactured goods, commercial cargo and passengers more efficient.
The extensive network of interchanges, bridges, overpasses, emergency facilities, monitoring centres and service areas is also expected to transform the character of the route by introducing infrastructure designed around safety, operational efficiency and modern traffic management.
The handover of the 175.6 kilometre cleared right of way by the Ghana Armed Forces represents another significant step towards the physical development of the project and follows the government’s broader efforts to prepare the corridor for construction.
Once completed, the Accra Kumasi Expressway is expected to provide motorists with a faster, safer and more dependable alternative for travelling between the two major cities while easing pressure on the existing N6 and supporting the wider movement of commerce across Ghana.
The project therefore carries significance beyond the construction of another major highway, with its designers positioning it as a modern transport corridor capable of improving road safety, reducing travel costs, strengthening connectivity and supporting economic activity across several regions of the country.
