Tanzanite Bridge shoots Dar es Salaam from busy city to tourist destination
Tanzanite bridge is the East African longest bridge that turns the country’s largest metropolis, Dar es Salaam into new tourist attraction.
By Solomon Angelous
Dar es Salaam city has gone one more step to a major metropolis in East Africa now, thanks to the stunning landmark of Tanzanite Bridge, shining over the Indian Ocean.
The 670-metre high and 1.03 kilometers-long, ultra-modern bridge was built by South Korea’s GS engineering along the Coco Beach coastline in Oysterbay stretching all the way to Aga Khan Hospital.
The Tanzanite Bridge is said to be lighter because of blending both girder and cable-stayed bridge technologies.
With a 180-tonnage capacity, the bridge is billed to ferry 55,000 vehicles or thereabouts per day.
The Minister of Works and Construction, Prof. Makame Mbarawa said that no tolls will be imposed for using the bridge which is open to all motorists, thanks to the government of the United Republic of Tanzania for that decision.
The project which broke grounds in 2018 is jointly funded by the Tanzania government and the government of South Korea, has become the symbol of good friendship and cooperation between these two countries.
There is a Swahili saying that says, “Ukiona vyaelea jua vimeundwa” (If you see vessels afloat, know that they have been built) indeed Tanzanite Bridge was built as you would take it for any developed city with how the Tanzanite Bridge graces the buzzing and splendor in Dar es Salaam.
Being built over the ocean using the cable-stayed design, it closely follows in the footsteps of its more illustrious cousins such as the Millau Viaduct in France, which is the tallest bridge in the world.
The bridge lights at the sunset not only help to save motorists from crashing but also provides a panoramic view during the night, being a fantasy escape for tens of thousands of city dwellers and visitors.
It is surely right to endorse the superlative bridge as an identity of the busiest city of the country, Dar es Salaam.
The features of a four-lane bridge are not only attractive to one’s eyes, but also they make cars navigate easily and hence, avert traffic jams.
Pedestrians’ safety on the bridge is well taken care of as a special walking area is not only provided, but also protected from both areas.
There are two walkways that prevent possible accidents and also the areas are guarded to keep pedestrians away from cars.
Tanzanite Bridge has become a major attraction and a joyful place for the Dar es Salaam residents and even some Tanzanians in other regions wish to come to Dar es Salaam to see this bridge for themselves. Dar es Salaam residents have made it their main attraction point, some use it for taking pictures for their memories, some as a part of building their health by walking and running even top leaders of big institutions in the country like CRDB’s Managing Director, Abdulmajid Nsekela was among the few people who were stunned by the beauty of the bridge by sharing debut experience as he took to Twitter to post the photo of him jogging at the bridge with parts of his caption reading: “During my physical exercise this morning, I crossed Tanzanite bridge, congratulations President Samia Suluhu for the construction of this beautiful, modern and international scale bridge.”
One lady was interviewed; she said “this project is a very good because now workers and business people will be arriving at work on time and returning home on time.
While the bridge is becoming hypnotic and a centre of attractions, Mr Tarimo Hamis, a Masaki resident and transporter nodded his head twice to the attractive asset of the country and notifies that it will help to cut traffic conundrum from city centre to Masaki almost by a half, charges for hiring transport from City Centre to Masaki or any related distance will be lowered.
If the bridge is used properly, a huge bunch of intercity motorists are expected to reduce travel time during peak hours. This is a goodbye to the traffic jam that stretches from Palm Beach to Saint Peters section to all road users who had to previously use Ali Hassan Mwinyi road to get to the city.
Nonetheless, the bridge is expected to enhance the road network connecting many parts of Dar es Salaam city.
Since no one would not want to wake up to the breath of fresh air from the coco coastline while on top of the bridge viewing a Dar skyline, the infrastructure continues to serve as new tourist attraction of the country particularly Dar es Salaam.
Based on the score above, city and upcountry dwellers flock to take pride on the bridge for the best life the memories with photos. However, its aesthetics are captivative enough to the extent of persuading an inrush of foreigners across East and Central Africa.
The bridge was not only built to solve traffic conundrum by easing travel time from the city centre, but also to address the long-existed problem of floods, usually affecting the Msimbazi valley during rainy seasons..
As for commercial purpose, Dar es Salaam is the country’s central economic hub which required the likes of the avant-grade bridge to ease goods transit and free movement of traders across the road, since Dodoma is now a government city just like Washington is to the United States of America. From this angle, traders expect a hike in growth and value addition of their ventures all along.
According to the sources, the bridge is staged to transform Dar es Salaam metropolis into a top-tier commercial city across the region.
According to the experts, the bridge can last up to the spell of 100 years if used properly, a rare feature to some of our infrastructure in the country making it a much more up-to-date facility.
With the bridge built few miles from the Dar es Salaam port which significantly serves as the landlocked neigbouring countries’ gateway for the shipment of their goods across the sea, the state-of-the-art bridge plays the port’s role as many other foreign and local traders will depend on it for their cargo transit.
I have a dream
In the next 30 years, Dar es Salaam will be developed commercial city like New York in the United States of America (US), not only for its natural resources and locations, but also for its state-of-the-art bridges, flyovers and ports.
Tanzania will be a favourable place for investors, a country of hi-tech industries and a place for business in Africa.
It also will be the most developed country in Africa.
