Mkapa Bridge, Road bridge in Rufiji District, Tanzania.
The Mkapa Bridge is a road bridge that crosses the Rufiji River in Rufiji District, connecting southern regions of Tanzania with a direct route. The structure features two traffic lanes spanning the wide river.
The bridge was designed by German engineering firm H.P. Gauff and opened in 2003, backed by funding from Kuwait, OPEC, and Saudi Arabia. This project replaced the previous reliance on ferries to cross the river.
The bridge takes its name from Benjamin Mkapa, Tanzania's third president, honoring his role in the country's infrastructure development. The naming reflects how much this crossing mattered to the nation's progress.
The bridge carries the B2 road and serves as the main route for vehicles crossing the river. Visitors should know the road can become slippery during heavy rain, so careful driving is needed.
The bridge is 970 metres long and carries the B2 road across the Rufiji River between Ikwiriri and Nyamwage in Pwani Region. It replaced an earlier ferry crossing, and President Benjamin Mkapa, after whom it is named, opened it on 2 August 2003.
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