Government has begun rolling out dedicated express electronic toll (e-toll) lanes at tollgates across Zimbabwe as part of a nationwide programme to modernise tolling infrastructure, reduce congestion and improve traffic flow on the country’s busiest highways.
The initiative, being implemented by the Zimbabwe National Road Administration (ZINARA), will see dedicated electronic payment lanes introduced at all 29 tollgates, allowing motorists using Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) enabled electronic tags (e-Tags) to pass through without stopping for manual payments.
“The dedicated express lanes are designed for motorists using electronic and prepaid toll payment platforms,” ZINARA said in a statement.
“They separate electronic and contactless transactions from cash and other conventional payment methods, allowing faster processing of vehicles.”
As part of the programme, ZINARA this Wednesday took delivery of the upgraded Inkomo Toll Plaza from the Road Infrastructure Development Agency (RIDA), and the expanded Lion’s Den Toll Plaza in Mashonaland West Province.
Inkomo Toll Plaza, one of Zimbabwe’s busiest tolling points serving traffic between Harare and the northern parts of the country, has been expanded from four to six lanes to ease congestion caused by rising traffic volumes. Two of the lanes have been dedicated to motorists using electronic toll payments.
The project, funded by ZINARA and completed by RIDA in just over two months, also included drainage improvements to enhance resilience during heavy rains and the installation of speed humps to improve lane discipline and road safety.
According to ZINARA, the express lane system uses RFID technology to automatically detect vehicles fitted with e-Tags, enabling boom gates to open without drivers stopping to make payments.
Under the current system, motorists using electronic payments queue alongside cash-paying motorists, often resulting in delays during peak travel periods. Authorities say separating electronic and manual transactions will increase vehicle processing capacity, shorten waiting times and reduce fuel consumption caused by long queues.
Construction is also underway at Umguza Tollgate along the Bulawayo-Victoria Falls Highway, where the existing single-lane approaches are being widened to three lanes in each direction. One lane on each side will be reserved for electronic toll payments, with the remaining lanes serving motorists using conventional payment methods.
The Department of Roads under the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructural Development is overseeing quality assurance for the projects.
ZINARA said the rollout of express e-toll lanes forms part of Government’s long-term strategy to modernise tolling infrastructure and improve service delivery across Zimbabwe’s road network.
