Newly rehabilitated Mzuzu-Nkhata Bay trunk road winding through a rural landscape
Newly rehabilitated Mzuzu-Nkhata Bay trunk road winding through a rural landscape © STRABAG

Client:
Roads Authority of Malawi

Construction period:
2016 – 2017

City/Country:
Mzuzu, Malawi

Contract value:
€ 21 million

Back to Projects

Contruction of Mzuzu-Nkhata Bay Road

Malawi

Through mountains, rivers and challenging terrain

Winding through steep mountainous landscapes, the Mzuzu-Nkhata Bay Road is a vital transport link in northern Malawi. As part of the Mtwara Development Corridor, the route improves the accessibility between Malawi and the Port of Mtwara in Tanzania.

The rehabilitation covered a 46 kilometres section of trunk road that has two major river crossings namely Limphasa and Kalwe. To improve safety, the road was widened to a 6,7-metre carriageway with 1,5-metre shoulders. A 1,2-kilometre section was reconstructed as a dual carriageway.

Extensive pavement works formed the backbone of the upgrade. The existing base course was reprocessed and stabilized to create a new subbase layer, a crushed stone base and an asphalt concrete surfacing. To enhance drainage performance, a flood relief bridge was built at the Limphasa River, alongside at least four large box culverts and numerous portal culverts.

Scope of Work

  • Rehabilitation of 46 km of road 
  • Road widening and upgrading 
  • Dual carriageway reconstruction works 
  • Pavement stabilisation and surfacing 
  • Flood relief bridge construction