Government of Uganda through the Ministry of Works and Transport has commenced the construction of the New Karuma Bridge to replace the aging 1963 structure and address critical safety, structural, and regional trade challenges along the major highway connecting Uganda to other regions.
the new brdige is financed through a Japanese government grant of approximately Shs.98 billion to Shs125 billion ($24 million), channeled via the Japan Internatinal Cooperation Agency (JICA).
The works are undertaken by Zenitaka Corporation (which previously built the New Nile Bridge in Jinja), with Oriental Consultants Global overseeing the engineering works.
The brdige will have A 3-span, cable-supported/cable-stayed bridge measuring 245 metres in length and 11.5 metres in width.
It will features a7-metre carriageway and a 2-metre pedestrian walkway.
It is engineered with a higher elevation and straighter approach roads to eliminate dangerous S-curves that previously caused frequent truck accidents.
Karuma Bridge remains a vital link on the Northern Corridor, handling heavy commercial trailers moving goods to and from Kenya, South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
It will remain open for emergency, auxiliary traffic and tourism attractions. The old bridge will also remain open during the construction of the new bridge.
