Abidjan’s bridges and infrastructure have been under severe strain following Côte d’Ivoire’s decade-long civil conflict, and the city’s acute traffic problems threatened to hinder recovery. The new Henri Konan Bedié toll bridge, which consists of two three-lane carriageways and cuts the journey time between two major districts of Abidjan from one hour to 15 minutes, was designed to put Abidjan back on the path to prosperity and ease citizens’ lives. The bridge spans 1.5 kilometers and is part of a new 6.7 kilometer road that includes an interchange, two stretches of motorway, and a 21-lane toll plaza. One hundred thousand vehicles a day will use the
bridge, which cost approximately $282 million to build. MIGA played a significant role in mobilizing the massive amount of private sector investment needed to help the government reach its ambitious goals.