Windhoek – Hosea Kutako International Airport
The project commenced with a feasibility, environmental and social impact assessment review of a route for a 45 km long freeway between Namibia’s capital, Windhoek, and the Hosea Kutako International Airport. This feasibility study also included HDM-4 project analysis of various road links (analysed as a network) for phased implementation.

The Namibian Government subsequently included the construction of the freeway in the National Development Plan and Harambee Prosperity Plan programmes. SMEC’s appointment was then extended to carry out detailed design for the 45 km long dual carriageway freeway. Geometric design included ten interchanges of varying complexity with twelve twin-spine prestressed bridges. Also included were the structural design and supervision of road-over-road, road-over-rail, and several river bridges. The road traverses rolling terrain, requiring the construction of over 4,5-million cubic meters of cut-to-fill over a 10 km long section.

 

Construction started in 2016 on the first phase of the freeway, as a southern bypass of Windhoek. A second construction phase commenced in 2019, and a third and last phase of construction to commence mid-2021. SMEC is appointed to carry out construction supervision on all three phases, simultaneously. The second phase is co-financed by African Development Bank, and the last phase is financed through a Chinese Government grant to Namibia, requiring contract administration to three different financing agencies’ requirements.

 

VKE, part of the SMEC group, was appointed in 2011 to carry out the feasibility study, and subsequently, engineering design and contract administration for the upgrade to dual-carriageway freeway of Trunk Road (TR)9/1 between Windhoek and the Hosea Kutako International Airport.

 

The assignment covers overall project management, fieldwork, data collection and analysis, including survey, traffic engineering, geotechnical investigations, prospection and coordination of EIA and EMP development. Engineering design by SMEC comprised of drainage design, geometric design, pavement design, structural design, design reporting and contract documentation. Contract administration of FIDIC Red Book and Bank Harmonised FIDIC contract and construction supervision also form part of the engagement.

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