BESIX builds the Abobo tunnel in Abidjan

On the initiative of PFO Africa, designer and builder of the project, BESIX Ivory Coast is participating in the development of the Abobo Town Hall roundabout in Abidjan. The contract awarded to BESIX includes civil works for the construction of a 560-metre long tunnel, including access ramps, which will accommodate the A1 national road with three lanes in each direction.

Work on site has begun and will be completed in 2023.

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 Abodo 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.

Philippe Dessoy, General Manager Business Development : “The construction of the Abobo tunnel confirms our strong presence in Ivory Coast and the quality of our partnership with PFO Africa. Together, we have built one of the largest drinking water treatment plants in West Africa, in La Mé, and have begun work on the Exhibition Centre and the F Tower, which will be the tallest tower on the African continent. The Abobo site allows us to introduce one of BESIX’s other major areas of expertise, infrastructure, to Ivory Coast. And we are particularly proud to participate, under the aegis of PFO Africa, in the realisation of this first-class project for the benefit of Abidjan and the country.”

The tunnel will be built using the ‘cut-and-cover’ method, which consists of building a trench in which the infrastructure is constructed in the open air before being covered. The tunnel itself will be 210 metres long and 560 metres long with the access ramps. Its construction requires the excavation of 130,000 m³ of trench, the placing of 4,000 tonnes of reinforcement, and the pouring of 23,000 m³ of structural concrete. The tunnel will also be equipped with the necessary facilities, including a gravity system for efficient drainage of rainwater.