The Tanzanian government is set to receive US$200 million in financing from the World Bank to implement the Dodoma Integrated and Sustainable Transport (DIST) project in the country’s capital city.

The scheme is expected to improve urban mobility in Dodoma through the upgrade of selected corridors, resilient access routes, central business district (CBD) improvements, and enhanced walking and cycling infrastructure.

Dodoma has been experiencing rapid growth in its population following the government’s renewed commitment in 2016 to the decision made in 1973 to transfer the national capital from Dar Es Salaam to Dodoma. The city has since seen significant capital investment and the relocation of government agencies and departments, meaning its population growth has been rapidly outpaced by its physical footprint – the city’s built-up area expanded by more than 440% since 2000, from 11 square km to 60 square km in 2024.

As a result of the dramatic increase in the urban footprint and increasing flood risk exacerbated by climate change, many of the city’s residents lack reliable transport access, with more than 80% of the city’s roads unpaved. Moreover, it is projected that 10.5% of Dodoma’s road network is vulnerable to future flooding, with accessibility to education, healthcare or government facilities reduced by up to 90% during severe events in some areas.

The DIST project will thus look to address the critical transport challenges facing the city, while supporting its longer-term sustainable development.

Specifically, the scheme will target infrastructure development of the following roads that are part of multimodal transport:

• The 32km Kimbinyiko Roundabout to Chamwino Town Junction road – This is the busiest road in the city and links the CBD with major demand centres to the east, including parliament and government offices, major commercial centers and markets, the intercity bus terminal and rapidly developing residential districts. The road is part of the 260km Morogoro-Dodoma Trunk Road (T003), which links the Port of Dar Es Salaam with the North-West and Central regions, and the neighbouring landlocked countries of Rwanda, Burundi, Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

On 3 December 2024, contractors were invited to express interest in a design-and-build contract to upgrade the road to a six and four-lane dual-carriageway bitumen standard, with the existing single-carriageway road to be reserved for future public transport rapid transport solutions including bus rapid transit (BRT). The deadline was 31 December 2024, with the request for proposals expected to be issued in February 2025. The contract duration is set to be 36 months along with a defects notification period of 18 months.

Previously, on 19 November 2024, consultants were invited to express interest in providing design, construction supervision and works management services for the roadworks, with a deadline of 10 December. The contract duration is 54 months, including 36 months for construction supervision and 18 months for supervision of defects during the defects notification period.

• The 10km Bahi Roundabout-Msalato Airport Junction road (part of Dodoma-Arusha trunk road) – The second-busiest road in Dodoma, this stretch connects the CBD northward towards Arusha, providing access to the under-construction Msalato International airport, the completion of which is set for December 2026.
• The 7km Image Roundabout-Mkonze bus stand road (part of Dodoma-Iringa trunk road) – This route connects the CBD with the newly opened Dodoma standard-gauge railway (SGR) terminal and the bus station at Mkonze. The work will address the growing demand from the south and the need to better interconnect Dodoma’s transport infrastructure and enhance smooth movement of passengers to and from the SGR terminal and the rapidly developing neighbourhoods surrounding it.

In addition, the DIST scheme will finance improvements of 4.8km of primary CBD roads including the Mpwapwa road from the Bunge area through Chako ni Chako to the Machinga complex and the connection from the Kimbinyiko roundabout through Jamatini to Kuu Street and the airport roundabout. Work will include providing improved walking and cycling infrastructure, drainage, street lighting and improved traffic management.

Moreover, selected access roads have been identified for improvement through a complete streets approach comprising upgrading of the road surface to a paved standard, walkways, cycleways, improved drainage and street lighting, and daladala stops.

The project will also look to reinforce Dodoma’s prevalent use of walking for transportation and its sustainable city aspirations through the addition of about 60km of pedestrian and cycleways to existing roads and unpaved pathways across the city.

The project’s primary beneficiaries will be the 430,000 people provided with improved mobility and access by the project’s investments, equivalent to 56% of all residents in the city.

The project will be implemented by Tanzania National Roads Agency (Tanroads), Tanzania Rural and Urban Roads Agency (Tarura), Land Transport Regulatory Authority (LATRA) and the City Council of Dodoma. It is expected to be completed by March 2030.

Top photo: Roadworks in Dodoma (Source: Instagram @ Tanroads)