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Roads in Botswana

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Kazungula Bridge, connecting Botswana and Zambia

Botswana has a network of roads, of varied quality and capacity, totaling about 31,747 kilometres (19,727 mi). Of these, 20,000 kilometres (12,000 mi) are paved. This is including 134 kilometres (83 mi) of motorways.[1] The remaining 11,747 kilometres (7,299 mi) worth of roads are unpaved. Road distances are shown in kilometers and Botswana speed limits are indicated in kilometers per hour (kph) or by the use of the national speed limit (NSL) symbol. Some vehicle categories have various lower maximum limits enforced by speed limits, for example trucks.[2]

Classification

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Administration

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Responsibility for the road network differs between trunk and non-trunk routes. Trunk roads, which are the most important roads, are administered by the Ministry of Transport.[3][4] The classifications of A and B roads are independent of their width and quality. Some B roads are wide enough to accommodate bidirectional traffic, while others are narrower with various passing locations. B roads follow the same numbering scheme as A roads, but almost always have 3- and 4- digit designation.[5]

A roads

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A roads are highways and other major roads.

Name Terminus Major Intersection(s) Terminus
A1 Zimbabwe (A7) Ramokgwebane (B315), Tshesebe (B311), Francistown (A3, B162), Dikabeya (B151), Serule (A15), Palapye (A14, B140), Mahalapye (B145, B147), Pilane (B130), Gaborone (A10, A12), Ramotswa (A11, B111), Otse (B105), Lobatse (A2), Ramatlabama (B202) South Africa (N18)
A2 Namibia (B6) Charles Hill (B214), A3 (south of Ghanzi), Morwamosu (B102), Sekoma (A20), Kanye (A10, B105, B202), Lobatse (A1) South Africa (N4)
A3 A2 Ghanzi, Sehithwa (A35), Maun (B334), Matopi (B300), Nata (A33), Dukwe (A32), Sebina (A31) Francistown (A30,A1)
A10 Gaborone (A1, A12) Thamaga (B111), Mosopa Kanye (A2, B105, B202)
A11 A1 none Ramotswa
A12 Molepolole (B102, B111, B112) Metsimotlhaba (B122), Gaborone (A1) South Africa (R49)
A14 Orapa (A30, B300) Serowe (B145) Palapye (A1,B140)
A15 Serule (A1) none Selebi Phikwe (B157, B150)
A20 Sekoma (A2) Khakhea (B205) Tshabong (B210, B211)
A30 Orapa (A14, B300) none Francistown (A3)
A31 Tutume none Sebina (A3)
A32 Sowa none Dukwe (A3)
A33 Namibia Muchenje, Kasane, Pangamatenga (B333) Nata (A3)
A35 Namibia Shakawe Sehithwa (A3)

B roads

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B roads are distributor roads, which see less traffic than A roads.

Name Terminus Major Intersection(s) Terminus
B102 Morwamosu (A2) none Molepolole (A12, B111, B112)
B105 Kanye (A2, A10, B202) none Otse (A1)
B111 Molepolole (A12, B102, B112) Thamaga (A10) Ramotswa (A1, A11)
B112 Shoshong (B145) none Molepolole (A12, B102, B111)
B122 Lentsweletau (B123) none Metsimotlhaba (A12)
B123 Lentsweletau (B122) Goes eastward with no known major intersections or terminus ?
B130 Pilane (A1) Mochudi, Sikwane (B135) South Africa
B135 Malolwane none Sikwane (B130)
B140 Palapye (A1,A14) Sherwood (B141) South Africa (Grobler's Bridge/N11)
B141 Machaneng (B147, B148) none Sherwood (B140)
B145 Serowe (A14) Shoshong (B112) Mahalapye (A1, B147)
B147 Mahalapye (A1, B145) none Machaneng (B141, B148)
B148 B140 none Machaneng (B141, B147)
B150 Selebi Phikwe (A15) Sefophe (B151) Tsetsebjwe
B151 Dikabeya (A1) Sefophe (B150), Bobonong (B155) Kobojango
B155 Bobonong (B150) none Molalatau
B157 Mmadinare none Selebi Phikwe (A15)
B162 Francistown (A1, A3) none Matsiloje
B202 Kanye (A, A10, B105) none Ramatlabana (A1)
B205 A2 Khakhea (A20), then goes southward with no known terminus ?
B210 Tshabong (A20, B211) none South Africa (R380)
B211 South Africa (near R360) Bokspits Tshabong (A20, B211)
B214 Charles Hill (A2) none Ncojane
B300 Matopi (A3) Rakops Orapa (A14, A30)
B311 Masunga (B316) none Tshesebe (A1)
B315 Zwenshambe (B316) Moroka Ramokgwebane (A1)
B316 Zwenshambe (B315) none Masunga (B311)
B333 A33 Pandamatenga Zimbabwe
B334 Shorobe none Maun (A3)

Motorways

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Motorways in Botswana have a set of restrictions, which prohibit certain traffic from using the road. The following classes of traffic are not allowed on Botswana motorways:

  • Learner drivers
  • Slow vehicles (i.e., not capable of reaching 60km/h on a level road).
  • Invalid carriages (lightweight three-wheeled vehicles)
  • Pedestrians
  • Pedal-cycles (bicycles, etc.)
  • Vehicles under 50cc (e.g., mopeds)
  • Tractors
  • Animals

Rules for driving on motorways include the following:

  • The keep-left rule applies unless overtaking
  • No stopping at any time
  • No reversing
  • No hitchhiking
  • Only vehicles that travel faster than 80km/h may use the outside lane
  • No driving on the hard-shoulder

The general motorway speed limit is 120km/h.[6]

Signage

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Signage on the Botswana network conforms broadly to Southern Africa norms, though a number of signs omit Southern Africa route numbers. All length distances are shown in kilometers, speed is in kilometers per hour whilst height and width restrictions are required to be shown in feet and inches (though the metric measurements may optionally also appear).

Botswana's old "caution curves" sign
New sign

Traditionally, road signs in Botswana used blue backgrounds rather than the yellow, white, or orange that the rest of the world uses on traffic warning signs. In the early 2010s, officials announced plans to begin phasing out the distinctive blue signs in favor of more typical signs in order to be more in line with the neighboring Southern African Development Community member states.[7]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Africa., Automobile Association of South (1994), Motoring in Botswana, The Association, OCLC 50939190, retrieved 2022-05-19
  2. ^ Mupimpila, C (2010-09-30). "Internalising the Externalities of Public Transport in Botswana". Botswana Journal of Economics. 5 (7). doi:10.4314/boje.v5i7.60307. ISSN 1810-0163.
  3. ^ Office., Botswana. Ministry of Works, Transport, and Communications. Statistics Unit. Botswana. Ministry of Works, Transport, and Communications. Transport Statistics Unit. Botswana. Central Statistics. Transport statistics. Ministry of Finance and Development Planning, Central Statistics Office. OCLC 416997554.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  4. ^ Lands., Botswana. Department of Surveys and (1984), The Republic of Botswana, The Department, OCLC 223994740, retrieved 2022-05-19
  5. ^ "Ministry of Transport and Public Works - Botswana". www.facebook.com. Retrieved 2022-05-19.
  6. ^ "ROADS AND RAILWAYS: Botswana". Africa Research Bulletin: Economic, Financial and Technical Series. 53 (3): 21217C–21219A. 2016-04-27. doi:10.1111/j.1467-6346.2016.07003.x. ISSN 0001-9852.
  7. ^ "Mmegi Online" staff writer Maranyane Ngwanaamotho (Dec 21, 2011). "Old road signs are being phased out". Archived from the original on November 29, 2012. Retrieved Oct 5, 2012.
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