Tanzanite Bridge rebrands with gemstone symbol
The Tanzanite Bridge at night after it was rebranded with the gemstone's symbol
What you need to know:
- The Tanzanite Bridge was built at a cost of Sh243 billion, it started operations on February 1 but was officially inaugurated on March 24.
A Tanzanite symbol has been placed on the Tanzanite Bridge in Dar es Salaam replacing the Uhuru Torch which adorned one of the City’s modern day landmarks.
The bridge was closed for closed on January 2, by Tanroads to allow the installation of the new illuminating blue symbol which can now be seen from a distance.
The Tanzanite Bridge has since reopened for road users who ply the route to the city center.
President Samia Suluhu Hassan on March 24, instructed the Minister of Works and Transport Professor Makame Mbarawa to change the Uhuru torch symbol on the new Tanzanite Bridge and replace it with the gemstone that matches the name of the bridge.
Tanzanite is a unique gemstone that is only found and mined in Tanzania.
The Tanzanite Bridge was built at a cost of Sh243 billion, it started operations on February 1 but was officially inaugurated on March 24.
The bridge was built by South Korea's GS engineering along the Coco Beach coastline in Oysterbay stretching all the way to Aga Khan Hospital covering 1.03 kilometers.
The project broke grounds in 2018. The new bridge is jointly funded by the Tanzania government and the government of South Korea at 82.9 per cent of the entire cost. It connects roads linking Aga Khan Hospital and Coco Beach and it measures approximately 6.23 kilometers at a cost of Sh256 billion.
With a 180-tonnage Capacity, the bridge is expected to ferry 55,000 vehicles or thereabouts per day, and this is expected to significantly reduce congestion along the overwhelmed independence-time Selander Bridge.
The old Selander Bridge was constructed back in 1929 and named after John Einar Selander, Tanganyika’s first Director of Public Works.
