Rajagiriya flyover to open today, speed of vehicles to increase eight-fold

Jan 08, 2017 (LBO) - President Maithripala Sirisena will declare open the Rajagiriya flyover on January 08, providing long term solutions for the heavy traffic congestion in the area. Issuing a statement the Presidents media unit said that during the times of heavy traffic congestion in Rajagiriya, the speed of the vehicles moving on this road is slower than two kilometers per hour. "It is expected after the completion of this flyover the speed limits of the vehicles to be increased by eight-fold." The construction work of the flyover commenced in 2016 jointly by a Spanish company and a local company. The project cost is 4,700 million rupees. The total length of the flyover is 533 meters while the width is 21.4 meters and comprises of total of four lanes, two lanes each way. In parallel to this project, several roads around the Rajagiriya area will be developed and an alternative road towards Narahenpita will be developed as well as the road towards Buthgamuwa will be developed with a total of three lanes. Colombo traffic congestion, analysts say have escalated in the last year and could affect productivity of the national economy. (Corrected)