Construction on the critical highway linking the Sèmè-Podji junction to the capital, Porto-Novo, is advancing at an impressive pace, with officials projecting completion of the main roadway by the end of July 2025.
The large-scale project aims to transform the 10-kilometre stretch into a dual carriageway, complete with central medians and dedicated cycling lanes, as part of the government’s sweeping overhaul of national mobility infrastructure.
According to Joseph Ahondokpè, project director at the Société des Infrastructures Routières et de l’Aménagement du Territoire (SIRAT), extensive groundwork was required along the left flank of the route from Sèmè-Podji due to the marshy terrain.
“The entire left side had to be treated, drained, and rebuilt,” he explained in a widely circulated video. “Technical adjustments were essential because the area was swampy.”
The expanded highway will feature a key roundabout at Djrègbé and a major junction at Yagbé, designed to ease congestion and eliminate the chronic traffic jams that have long plagued the corridor.
If construction continues on schedule, the project will be completed ahead of the original contract deadline.
However, the final phase of this ambitious undertaking — the construction of a new, four-lane bridge spanning the Porto-Novo Lagoon — is still ahead.
The upcoming bridge, revised from an initial plan of 330 metres to a now-expanded 402 metres, is designed to accommodate not only vehicular traffic but also pedestrians.
Speaking in a separate public address, Minister and Infrastructure Advisor Jacques Ayadji clarified the rationale behind the changes.
“The government opted for a higher, 2×2-lane bridge to ensure navigability under the structure,” he said.
“This adjustment will create enough clearance to allow large boats to travel freely beneath it — something that current road and rail bridges do not permit.”
Ayadji also confirmed that both the existing rail and road bridges will be demolished to make way for the new elevated structure.
“The President of the Republic is thinking ahead,” Ayadji noted, praising the vision behind the initiative to modernise transport along the lagoon.
The total cost of the project has now risen to 157 billion CFA francs, up from the initial budget of 89 billion CFA francs.
Once completed, the expanded highway and bridge will mark a transformative chapter in Benin’s infrastructure development, improving connectivity, fostering economic growth, and enabling fluvio-lagoon transport in and around Porto-Novo.
Source: lanation
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