Abobo Tunnel in Abidjan

The contract awarded to BESIX includes civil works for the burying of the A1 national road under the roundabout. This includes the construction of a 560-metre long project, including access ramps, which will accommodate the A1 national road with three lanes in each direction.

Under the leadership of the Ivorian Ministry of Public Works and Road Maintenance, the A1 national road tunnel will significantly improve traffic flow in the Abobo area, a municipality of Abidjan with a population of over one million. This project is a key element in the accessibility of the Abidjan metropolitan area. The Abobo Town Hall roundabout is the intersection of several important roads, including those linking the economic capital to the East and North-East of the country.

The tunnel is being built using the 'cut-and-cover' method, which consists of digging a trench in which the infrastructure is constructed in the open air before being covered. The tunnel itself will be 210 metres long and the total project will be 560 metres long with the access ramps. Its construction requires the excavation of 130,000 m³ of trench, the placing of 2,500 tonnes of reinforcement, and the pouring of 23,000 m³ of structural concrete. The tunnel will also be equipped with the necessary operating facilities, including a gravity system for efficient drainage of rainwater. Work on site have started in March 2022 and will be completed in 2023.