Kumasi is located in the middle of Ghana, it is the capital of Ashanti Region and the country's second largest city with nearly 2 million people, superior natural conditions and excellent geographical location make it become garden city, economic center of Ghana, east-west corridor, north and south channel ,and the traffic and trade hub to central and northern Africa.
Sunyani road engineering project is located in downtown kumasi (including overpass), including two overpass, five under channels and the four supported road construction. The project is totally funded by the government of Ghana, the total cost is nearly $109 million, the time limit is 5 years. The project is the biggest civil engineering project since its founding. The design and construction include roads, bridges, human, non-motor vehicles system, drainage, communications, lighting and landscape engineering.
The bid was granted to China Geo Ghana Ltd through public bidding in 2007. The preliminary design scheme of key sofoline overpass was completed by a European company, and the subsequent design was undertaken by one Ghana local company. But the design has obvious defect because of technical ability and field conditions which made the project construction in the stagnation of the early. In view of this situation, at the beginning of 2008, China Geo Ghana Ltd led and invited the Ghana government, Ministry of roads and highway and the related officers from supervision company to visit and investigate several of China's most famous bridge design companies. After comparison, Ministry of roads and highway finally selected China ZhongTie major bridge engineering group Co., Ltd as the final company cooperated with local company to do geological survey, design.
The Ghana government also agreed that the program can use China's current specifications for design of bridge. The large bridge project use Chinese standards and specifications for survey, design, construction and supervision which is the first time in Ghana history.
In the process of construction, pile foundation inspection, prestressed concrete , continuous box girder and other relatively advanced bridge construction technology was first introduced to Ghana, the owner is very interested and highly praised Chinese’ technical workers’ technical level and professional dedication.
The project’s core which is sofoline overpass used clover leaf comunicated form including two main road, eight ramp, eight side walk. The principal part of the project includes 67 piers, 87 caps, 254 root piles, 5 reinforced concrete box girder, 23 prestressed concrete box girder league, 6000 tons reinforced steel, nearly 40000 m³concrete.
The project is the first local overpass which use Chinese standard design, Chinese technical construction and modern prestressed technology and it is one of the biggest intersection of Ghana and west Africa. The introduction of the Chinese standard made the Ghana construction industry positive and many companies came to visit the project. Part of China's bridge standard specification will be written to Ghana’s standard after the project completed which is very rare and even unique since our country started undertake construction in Africa. Who set the rules who master the market. Over the years, the British standard commandeer Ghana market which make China general contractors blocked in severe cases. The completion of this bridge will be the Ghana and even the "west Africa first bridge" which is of great significance in China can set up China's image, output, technology and standards and lay a solid foundation for more Chinese bridge company came to Ghana to undertake project for the future.
