R3 road
Location
CountryZimbabwe
Highway system

R3 Highway is a primary road in Zimbabwe from the capital city Harare to the Chirundu Border Post with Zambia.[1][2][3][4] It is also known as the A1 Highway. It is part of both the Beira–Lobito Highway and the Cape to Cairo Road.

Background

The R3 highway is also known as the Harare-Chirundu Highway. Its historical and popular name is the A1 Highway[2][5] and is 354 kilometres (220 miles) long.[6] In Harare it can be picked up at the intersection of Samora Machel Avenue (A5) and Leopold Takawira Street. Follow Leopold Takawira north and turn right into Hebert Chitepo Avenue, then left into Sam Nujoma Street up to Lomagundi Road (A1) at coordinates 17°47′01″S 31°02′18″E / 17.78351°S 31.038427°E / -17.78351; 31.038427 ((A1/R3) Lomagundi Road), and from Chirundu it can be picked from the Chirundu Bridge or the Otto Beit Bridge. ( 16°02′31″S 28°51′41″E / 16.04187°S 28.86148°E / -16.04187; 28.86148 ((A1/R3 Highway) Chirundu Border Post) )

Together with the R1 Highway which runs from Harare to Beitbridge, the R3 Highway forms the Chirundu-Beitbridge Regional Road Corridor, which is part of the North-South Corridor known as the Cape to Cairo Road. Chirundu to Beitbridge is 897 kilometres (557 miles).[7][8]

Together with the R5 Highway, which runs from Harare to Mutare, the R3 forms part of the Beira-Lobito Highway which is the Trans-African Highway Network route number 9.

Rehabilitation

The A1 Highway is currently under rehabilitation together with other regional road corridors in Zimbabwe. Most highways in Zimbabwe are more than 30 years old, outliving their 20-year life span, and they need rehabilitation. The rehabilitation of this highway is in conformation of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Regional Infrastructure Master Plan for the North-South Corridor. North-South Corridor is central a passage for SADC members' exports and imports to and from the north. It is seen as crucial to unlocking further development within SADC and the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA).[9]

Waypoints

Waypoints from South to North; Harare to Chirundu.

Banket

The first significant waypoint from Harare is Banket. This waypoint is usually overlapped by motorists because it is only 24.7 km (15.3 mi) before Chinhoyi. -17.38333, 30.4

Chinhoyi

Entering Chinhoyi, the first billboard encountered just after the Manyame Bridge notifies one of a rest place just a kilometre away. Ten years from opening its doors, the Chinhoyi University of Technology Hotel has become a favourite stop-over for travellers along the Harare-Chirundu Highway.[10] When you live Chinhoyi towards Karoi about 10 kilometres (6.2 miles) north, (that's about 136 kilometres (85 mi) from Harare and about before 251 kilometres (156 mi) from Chirundu Border Post is the Chinhoyi Caves Recreational Park, besides the road. The caves are a network of tunnels and caverns which are fascinating places to visit. The water temperature of the Chinhoyi caves is always at 22 degrees Celsius (72 Fahrenheit). The caves are a stopover option for those not wanting to stop in town. Open hours are 0700 hrs to 1700 hrs (GMT).[11]

Karoi

Karoi is about 85 kilometres (53 miles) by road, north-west of Chinhoyi, or about 200 kilometres (120 miles) from Harare and 154 kilometres (96 miles) before Chirundu.

About 8 kilometres (5.0 mi) north of Karoi towards Makuti, the Karoi-Gokwe-Binga Roads turns right and eventually reaches Matusadona National Park. Sanyati Bridge is 115 kilometres (71 mi) along this road, west.

Makuti

Makuti is the last significant waypoint before Chirundu. The M15 highway branches sharply right here to Kariba through to Zambia’s Siavonga Border Post via the Kariba Dam wall.[12]

Marongora

Marongora Wildlife Campsite is about 168 kilometres (104 mi) from Chinhoyi towards Chirundu, that is just more than 267 kilometres (166 mi) northwest of Harare.[13] Tickets to Manna Pools are obtained here. 16°13′24″S 29°09′41″E / 16.223297°S 29.161436°E / -16.223297; 29.161436 (Marongora Wildlife Office)

Marongora Map External link. Marongora Office Photo External link.

Bridges

There are several high-level bridges along the highway. However, during the floods of January 2015 some bridges between Chinhoyi and Karoi flooded, a very rare scenario. Chikuti River Bridge was blocked by flowing water near Lion's Den before Mhangura Road turn-off.[14] and Denga River Bridge was also blocked.[15][16]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Map Center -17.826817,31.03774 Google Maps maps.googleapis.com|Maps|Retrieved 18 March 2016
  2. 1 2 Map Center -17.826817,31.03774 Google Maps maps.googleapis.com|Maps|Retrieved 18 March 2016
  3. ↑ Map Center -16.819042,29.683690 Google Maps maps.googleapis.com|Maps|Retrieved 18 March 2016
  4. ↑ Chapter 9: Road Transport Services and Infrastructure
  5. ↑ Static Map Center -16.819042,29.683690 Google Maps maps.googleapis.com|Maps|Retrieved 18 March 2016
  6. ↑ "Chirundu Border Post Crossing Zimbabwe Zambia - Zimbabwe Tourist Attractions-Zim News-Travel Advice". zimguide.com. Retrieved 21 December 2016.
  7. ↑ Info-ZimGuide Border Post Crossing Zimbabwe Zambia|Distances: Harare to Chirundu driving distance is 354 km; Distance between Chirundu and Lusaka is 142 km; Distance between Chirundu and Chinhoyi is 239 km; Distance from Beitbridge to Chirundu is 897 km; Distance between Chirundu and Tunduma is 1158 km; Distance between Chirundu and Nakonde is 1152 km Kariba Dam is 67 km from Chirundu Zimbabwe Tourism|Zim News|Retrieved 28 March 2016
  8. ↑ Simon. Corridor News 7 July 2014 from the African Infrastructure Programme | Transport World Africa|Rehabilitation of the Serenge Nakonde Road will involve widening of the road, and its improvement will contribute to cost reduction for road transportation along the North- South and Dar es Salaam Corridors, as well as reduce accident losses for the transport of passengers and goods. Ultimately, it is expected to improve the competitiveness of business in the eight countries that share the North-South Corridor – Botswana, DRC, Malawi, Mozambique, South Africa, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe. Project completion is expected by 2017. Transport World Africa|Retrieved 28 March 2016
  9. ↑ Dumisani Nsingo. 28 September 2014, "Govt steps up efforts on Sadc infrastructural development"|ZIMBABWE has stepped up efforts to ensure it plays a pivotal role in the Sadc Regional Infrastructure Master Plan (RIMP) with a number of transport infrastructural developments linking the country to its neighbours at various stages of implementation. The cross-border projects are estimated at $500 billion and seek to develop infrastructure in power, transport, water, communication, tourism and meteorology in the 15 countries over a 15-year period, which started in 2012 and expected to end in 2027. Sunday News|Business|Retrieved 28 March 2016
  10. ↑ "business - The Herald". herald.co.zw. Retrieved 21 December 2016.
  11. ↑ Info Chinhoyi Caves Recreational Park ZimGuide|Retrieved 26 March 2016
  12. ↑ Geotechnical Investigation Testing|1.1Site location...The international road M15 crosses the border on the dam crest. scribd.com|Documents|Retrieved 29 March 2016
  13. ↑ Zimbabwe - Facts and information on Marongora| (Chinhoyi) is approximately 168 km (104 mi)away from Marongora (as the crow flies). The distance from Marongora to Zimbabwe's capital Harare (Harare) is approximately 269 km (167 mi)(as the crow flies). Zimbabwe.Places-in-the-world.com|Retrieved 29 March 2016
  14. ↑ Tinomuda Chakanyuka. 4 January 2015 drown as their car is swept away by flooded river|Chikuti Bridge Along Harare-Chirundu Road, which has also been blocked by flowing water near Lion’s Den before Mhangura Road turn-off Sunday News|Local News|Retrieved 29 March 2016
  15. ↑ Walter Nyamukondiwa and Nyemudzai Kakore. 5 January 2016 leave 100s homeless |In the aftermath of the rains, roads and bridges, especially Chikuti, have been damaged. Hundreds of motorists and travellers were left stranded after Denga River overflowed the Harare-Chirundu Road with one truck being swept off the road.|The Herald|News|Reatrieved 29 March 2016
  16. ↑ Walter Nyamukondiwa and Nyemudzai Kakore.5 January 2015 || The Herald zw|Top Stories|Retrieved 29 March 2016
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