The Airport Bypass in Accra, once a reliable route to Ghana’s busiest travel hub, has increasingly become a site of crippling traffic congestion, raising alarm among commuters, residents, and urban planners.
What was previously a smooth arterial road now regularly grinds to a halt, with some drivers reporting delays of up to an hour just to navigate the stretch leading to the Kotoka International Airport.
“This is becoming unbearable. I missed my flight last week because I was stuck on the Bypass for over 45 minutes,” Ama Boateng who is a frequent road user lamented.
“The authorities must find a solution before it gets completely out of hand,” she added.
The worsening traffic situation is not simply a product of rush hour pressure.
However, experts say it is the result of rapid and largely uncoordinated urban expansion.
The construction boom in the Airport enclave, particularly projects such as the Former DVLA site at 37, Airport City 2, and The Prestige, is significantly increasing both human and vehicular density in the area.
“These developments are signs of economic growth, which we welcome,” Kwesi Adjei, an urban planner said.
“But the infrastructure hasn’t been upgraded to support this rapid expansion. Without a robust traffic management strategy, we are heading towards a permanent gridlock,” he added.
Beyond the inconvenience to travelers, the traffic bottleneck poses broader public safety concerns.
Experts warn that response times for medical emergencies, fire services, and security personnel could be dangerously delayed.
“When emergency vehicles can’t move swiftly through the city’s major corridors, it puts lives at risk. This is a security issue as much as it is a transport issue,” a resident within the area stressed.
Meanwhile, calls are mounting for urgent, high-level government intervention.
