DRC is considering the construction of an urban viaduct known as the “Baie de Ngaliema” in Kinshasa. The project was presented by Infrastructure and Public Works Minister John Banza Lunda at the Cabinet meeting of April 10, 2026.

According to a government statement, the project is intended to address persistent congestion on several of the capital’s main corridors, particularly those linking outlying areas to the city center.

The plan includes a 3.5-kilometer viaduct with two lanes in each direction, designed to improve traffic flow in the western part of the city.

The viaduct is expected to ease congestion on the Northwest Ring Road and Matadi Road, also known as Avenue de la Montagne, two corridors regularly congested during peak hours. It would also bypass some of the most congested areas, including Kintambo-Magasin and the Kintambo–Boulevard Mondjiba–Socimat corridor.

Planned route

According to details presented at the Cabinet meeting, the route will begin at Avenue du Tourisme near Hôpital de la Rive, pass through the Chanic area and end at Boulevard Tshiatshi near the Pullman hotel.

The structure will include controlled interchanges and access ramps, with a design speed of 60 to 80 kilometers per hour. Part of the route will run along the riverbank to improve traffic flow and ensure smoother connections across the city.

The project is part of broader efforts to modernize road infrastructure in Kinshasa, where strain on urban transport remains high.

In 2025, the government disbursed $40 million to rehabilitate about 30 kilometers of roads, adding to funding already committed for nearly 115 kilometers of urban roadways. In August of the same year, an additional $51 million was announced to accelerate several construction projects in the capital.

The Baie de Ngaliema project is still at the proposal stage. Its implementation timeline and financing arrangements have not yet been specified.

Ronsard Luabeya