A5 (Ethiopia)
A 5 | |
|---|---|
| Route information | |
| Maintained by Ethiopia National Highways Authority | |
| Major junctions | |
| North end | Addis Ababa |
| South end | Gedi Adis |
| Location | |
| Country | Ethiopia |
| Highway system | |
The A5 Road is a national route in Ethiopia.[1] The highway runs for 608 kilometers from east to west. It starts off in Addis Ababa, which is the capital city of Ethiopian and it stretches towards south-western part of the country serving as an essential transport route for people, commodities and various services offered.[2] Being one among others situated on Ethiopia's road network, A5 is one of the most important roads linking central highlands to the southern regions thereby contributing towards economic growth, trade between various regions without moving out of the country and enhancing social changes.[1][3][4][5]
Route
The A5 Road goes through southwestern Ethiopia and links the capital city Addis Ababa with Metu. The route displays a zig-zag layout, first moving south-west from Addis Ababa to Jimma, then a winding course northwards and westwards finally ending at Metu town. The eastern part of this major highway connecting Addis Ababa to Welkite runs on top of flat land making it one among the few straight roads found in Ethiopian Highlands. After reaching Welkite, the road begins to curve more till it arrives at Jimma. On this segment of Jimma-Metu section, there is no clear understanding about its entire bitumen surface as such; however, it is said to be secondary in status.[6]
History
The construction of the road from Addis Ababa to Jimma was one of the main roads in Ethiopia during the period of Italian colonialism. Afterwards, part of the route between Addis Ababa and Metu became known as Route 7 but its western part changed from the current A5. In detail, it moved from Jimma to Mizam Teferi which then turned northwards towards Metu, covering an overall distance of 720 kilometers. When a road renumbering system was introduced around 2013, the route from Jimma to Metu was transformed into a shortened, secondary link road while significant upgrading works took place along the western section up until Jimma between 2006 and 2012 that included major asphaltization activities. The modernization effort enhanced the road's quality and connectivity, reflecting the evolution of Ethiopia's transportation infrastructure.[5][2]
References
- ^ a b Anderson, Richard (2021-04-03), Along the A5: Greenhouses, retrieved 2024-08-10
- ^ a b "Addis Ababa to A5 Route". www.distancesfrom.com. Retrieved 2024-08-10.
- ^ "Road numbering systems - Ethiopia route list". sites.google.com. Retrieved 2024-08-10.
- ^ Canada, Global Affairs (2012-11-16). "Travel advice and advisories for Ethiopia". Travel.gc.ca. Retrieved 2024-08-10.
- ^ a b "Regional risks - Ethiopia travel advice". GOV.UK. Retrieved 2024-08-10.
- ^ "OpenStreetMap". OpenStreetMap. Retrieved 2024-08-10.