In Zambia some roads are designated as numbered routes to help with navigation.[1][2][3] There is a nationwide numbering scheme consisting of Inter-Territorial roads, Territorial roads, District roads and Rural roads.[4][5][6][7]

Out of a total of 91,440 km of roads in Zambia (2001), 20,117 km were paved and 6,779 km were part of Inter-Territorial Roads or Territorial Roads. 71,323 km of roads were unpaved (Some of the unpaved highways are graded laterite roads).[8][9]

Every Inter-Territorial Road, together with many Territorial Roads and a few District Roads, are designated as Toll roads.[10] The tollgates are administered by the National Road Fund Agency (NRFA) and the Road Development Agency (RDA) together with concessionaires (public-private partnerships) for some roads.[10]

In October 2022, at a symposium was dubbed “Sustainable infrastructure development using cement and concrete technologies", Road Development Agency (RDA), Chilanga Cement, Dangote Limited and Bari Zambia Limited signed an agreement to partner on the development of concrete roads across the country.[11]

Cars along the Great East Road in Lusaka

History

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In the 1970s Zambia had one of the best highway networks in sub-Saharan Africa. In 1991 it was estimated by the National Road Fund Agency (NRFA) that 80 percent of the road network had deteriorated and out of total road assets valued at US$2.3 billion, US$400 million had been lost due to neglected maintenance. The government introduced a road fund levy on fuel and that together with international aid has improved the highway network. In 2004 the NRFA rated 57% of paved roads in good condition, 22% in fair condition and 21% in poor condition.[12]

Inter-Territorial Roads

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Inter-territorial roads are the main routes used to connect Zambia with other countries.[4] They are designated with a letter T followed by a number from 1 to 6.

Number Description Length Notes
T1 road (Zambia) Turnpike - Choma - Livingstone - Zimbabwe 430 km
T2 road (Zambia) Tanzania - Mpika - Kabwe - Lusaka - Zimbabwe 1155 km part of the route is known as the Great North Road.
T3 road (Zambia) Kapiri Mposhi - Ndola - Kitwe - Chingola - Congo 263 km
T4 road (Zambia) Lusaka - Petauke - Katete - Chipata - Malawi 595 km
T5 road (Zambia) Chingola - Solwezi - Mwinilunga - Angola 545 km
T6 road (Zambia) Katete - Mozambique 56 km

Territorial Roads

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Territorial Roads are the main routes connecting different towns of Zambia in areas where there is no Inter-Territorial Road.[4] They are designated with an M followed by a number from 1 to 20.

Number Description Length
M1 road (Zambia) Mpika - Kasama - Mbala - Tanzania 404 km
M2 road (Zambia) Mbala - Mpulungu 38 km
M3 road (Zambia) Kasama - Mansa - Congo 434 km
M4 road (Zambia) Sabina - Mufulira - Ndola 85 km
M5 road (Zambia) Mufulira - Congo 18 km
M6 road (Zambia) Kafulafuta - Luanshya 41 km
M7 road (Zambia) Kitwe - Kalulushi 15 km
M8 road (Zambia) Mutanda - Kawana - Kabompo - Zambezi 464 km
M9 road (Zambia) Lusaka - Mumbwa - Kaoma - Mongu 584 km
M10 road (Zambia) Livingstone - Kazungula - Sesheke - Senanga - Mongu 508 km
M11 road (Zambia) Choma - Namwala 169 km
M12 road (Zambia) Chipata - Lundazi 180 km
M13 road (Zambia) Chipili - Kawambwa 88 km
M14 road (Zambia) Nakonde - Malawi (Chitipa) & Malawi (Chisenga) - Thendere - Muyombe - Malawi (Katumbi)
M15 road (Zambia) Chirundu - Siavonga - Zimbabwe 65 km
M16 road (Zambia) Kalulushi - Sabina 14 km
M18 road (Zambia) Kalulushi - Lufwanyama - Kawana 251 km
M19 road (Zambia) Kazungula - Botswana 3 km
M20 road (Zambia) Landless Corner - Mumbwa 120 km

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Improving Zambia's roads". BBC News. Retrieved 2 March 2022.
  2. ^ "Zambia Road Network (main roads)". WFP GeoNode. Retrieved 2 March 2022.
  3. ^ "Zambia road infrastructure rehabilitation programme | DBSA". www.dbsa.org. Retrieved 2 March 2022.
  4. ^ a b c "Roads and Road Traffic Act | National Assembly of Zambia". www.parliament.gov.zm. Retrieved 27 June 2022.
  5. ^ Search results from Map, Zambia, Roads (map), retrieved 2 March 2022
  6. ^ "Navigation and Driving". Zambia Tourism. Retrieved 2 March 2022.
  7. ^ "Sharing the road: Connecting streets to people". Africa Renewal. 2 November 2020. Retrieved 2 March 2022.
  8. ^ "Confluence Mobile - Digital Logistics Capacity Assessments". dlca.logcluster.org. Retrieved 2 March 2022.
  9. ^ "Zambia : Government announce Major Plans to Tar Economic Roads in Western, and North-Western Provinces". 25 December 2021. Retrieved 2 March 2022.
  10. ^ a b "NRFA". Retrieved 3 July 2021.
  11. ^ daily-mail (28 October 2022). "rda-3-firms-partner-on-concrete-roads". daily-mail.co.zm. Retrieved 28 October 2022.
  12. ^ "Trunk Main and District Paved Road Network" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 27 September 2007. Retrieved 20 June 2022.