By Farai D Hove | ZimEye | The Mbudzi Interchange project, as evidenced by the recent opening of the Masvingo-Glen Norah Loop Road, is an unfortunate display of outdated infrastructure planning and execution, despite the inflated expenditure of USD 88 million. While the state media paints a rosy picture of this development as a major milestone for Harare’s southwest suburbs, a closer examination reveals that this roadwork falls behind modern urban traffic management standards, which prioritize the construction of efficient spaghetti junctions and multi-layered road networks designed to ease congestion seamlessly. The road design itself — essentially flat, linear, and simplistic — is highly reminiscent of early 20th-century rural road structures that are wholly inadequate for the 21st century.
In contrast, some of the world’s most efficient and sophisticated spaghetti road networks have been constructed around the world for significantly less investment. These designs involve layered interchanges that reduce bottlenecks, accommodate more vehicles, and allow for smoother transitions between roads and highways. Here is a list of at least 10 examples of advanced road infrastructure that have been completed at much lower costs than what is being spent on the Mbudzi Interchange:
1. Tom Moreland Interchange (Atlanta, USA)
– Cost: USD 80 million
– Description: Also known as “Spaghetti Junction,” this five-level interchange manages high traffic volumes in one of the busiest areas of Atlanta. Completed in 1987, it remains highly efficient in handling congested urban traffic despite its lower price tag compared to the Mbudzi project.
2. High Five Interchange (Dallas, USA)
– Cost: USD 261 million.
– Description: A five-level stack interchange that serves a critical traffic artery in Dallas. Although more expensive than Mbudzi, its design and functionality are superior, handling much heavier traffic flows efficiently.
3. Bandra-Worli Sea Link (Mumbai, India)
– Cost: USD 240 million.
– Description: This 5.6 km-long cable-stayed bridge and interchange were built over the sea, linking key regions of Mumbai. Despite being more complex and incorporating advanced structural design, its total cost remains justified for a growing metropolis.
4. Shanghai Nanpu Bridge and Interchange (China)
– Cost: USD 116 million.
– Description: Completed in 1991, this spiraling interchange connects key parts of Shanghai while maintaining an iconic aesthetic value. Its construction in one of the busiest cities in the world is a marvel of engineering, yet it cost significantly less than the Mbudzi project.
5. Gravelly Hill Interchange (Birmingham, UK)
– Cost: USD 13 million (adjusted for inflation to today’s value, approximately USD 90 million)
– Description: Also called “Spaghetti Junction,” this seven-level interchange was completed in 1972. While it managed far more complex traffic patterns at the time of its construction, the cost, even adjusted for inflation, rivals Mbudzi’s but offers vastly more in terms of design sophistication and capacity.
6. Salamanca Interchange (Melbourne, Australia)
– Cost: USD 110 million
– Description: This interchange incorporates cutting-edge traffic technology to improve flow, built for a growing urban population and far more efficient in design and structure than the outdated layout seen in the Mbudzi project.
7. Spaghetti Junction, I-85/I-285 (Atlanta, USA)
– Cost: USD 150 million
– Description: This interchange is crucial to managing traffic flow in one of the busiest highway intersections in the United States. Despite its complexity, it was completed for much less than many simpler projects around the world.
8. Khalifa Bin Salman Interchange (Bahrain)
– Cost: USD 62 million
– Description: Built in Bahrain, a region known for its burgeoning traffic and urban development, this interchange was completed at a cost much lower than Mbudzi, while effectively reducing congestion.
9. Al Nahda Interchange (Dubai, UAE)
– Cost: USD 95 million
– Description: Known for its sleek design and functionality, this interchange in Dubai, a city renowned for its advanced infrastructure, shows what can be done within a budget similar to Mbudzi’s, but with better efficiency and modernity.
10. Los Angeles Downtown Interchange (USA)
– Cost: USD 140 million
– Description: Los Angeles is infamous for its traffic, and this downtown interchange was built to ease heavy congestion. While the price tag is somewhat higher, the result is a network of roads that can manage far more complex traffic scenarios than Mbudzi’s outdated structure.
Key Takeaway:
The global examples above illustrate that advanced interchanges have been successfully constructed for similar or lower costs compared to the USD 88 million being expended on the Mbudzi Interchange. Despite the high price tag, the Mbudzi project lacks the structural complexity and foresight needed to solve the severe congestion it aims to address. It is embarrassing for a nation to invest such an amount in a project that mirrors early 20th-century designs, while the rest of the world is moving towards multi-level, high-efficiency traffic solutions at comparable or even lower costs. The lack of innovation and the exorbitant expenditure makes this project not only outdated but also a significant waste of resources.
The global examples of these interchanges are not only aesthetically superior but functionally miles ahead of the Mbudzi Interchange, which lacks the foresight and complexity necessary to truly improve traffic flow and serve a growing urban population. The 15 bridges being touted as part of the Mbudzi Interchange are simply an unnecessary complication that fails to solve the fundamental issue of congestion. Furthermore, the investment in this project lacks justification, especially when considering the basic road planning principles that could have been achieved at a fraction of the cost using modern engineering techniques.
In conclusion, while the Masvingo-Glen Norah Loop Road may appear to offer some form of progress, it is simply a cosmetic gesture. The real solution lies in forward-thinking, world-class engineering solutions that maximize efficiency, future-proof the road network, and ensure the cost-benefit ratio is balanced. Unfortunately, this project falls short on all fronts.- ZimEye