DODOMA: THE Rural and Urban Roads Agency (TARURA) has invested more than 2.76bn/- in modern soil investigation equipment to improve road and bridge quality, strengthen infrastructure durability and reduce construction costs.
TARURA Chief Executive Engineer, Victor Seff, said the investment will enable the agency to obtain accurate information on soil properties and load-bearing capacity, which are critical in designing durable roads and bridges.
Speaking in Dodoma region on Monday, he said TARURA is responsible for managing, constructing and maintaining a district road network spanning 144,149.18km, comprising tarmac, gravel and earth roads.
Of the total network, approximately 3,900 km are tarmac roads, more than 47,000km are gravel roads and over 92,000km are earth roads, highlighting the need for technology and research to improve construction and maintenance.
Additionally, Mr Seff said the agency’s Research and Quality Control Unit conducts soil investigations, assesses construction standards and researches locally available materials suitable for road projects.
“The new equipment will help improve the efficiency of technical investigations, strengthen the capacity of local experts and help identify cost-effective construction methods without compromising infrastructure quality,”he said.
He added “TARURA operates a central laboratory in Dodoma and more than 15 other laboratories across the country, which test soil, verify construction quality and assess materials available in different project areas”.
According to Mr Seff, such research is essential because construction materials are sometimes sourced from locations far from project sites, increasing transportation costs.
Through laboratory investigations, he explained, the agency could identify suitable materials near project sites and verify whether they met the required standards, reducing unnecessary expenditure.
Moreover, he noted that the laboratories also play a crucial role in ensuring that road construction projects meet quality requirements, last longer and deliver value for money.
“I urge contractors and consulting engineers working on TARURA projects and those undertaken by other institutions to use the agency’s laboratory services available in Dodoma and other regions,”he said.
Elaborating, he said the laboratories are equipped with modern technology suited to the construction sector’s current needs, while TARURA experts have received training to conduct soil investigations and research effectively.
The agency will continue acquiring equipment and strengthening regional laboratories to expand testing services, improve access to quality control and support the construction of more durable roads and bridges.
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