1. Awards & Honors

One of Togo’s first expressways, it also serves as a critical port‑access project, linking the Port of Lomé to West Africa’s inland regions and neighboring countries.

The official French name of the Lomé Ring Road is commonly known as Grand Contournement of Lomé , Use of English-language materials by China Road & Bridge Corporation Lomé Bypass or Project of Development and Bitumination of Lomé Bypass 。

When introducing the second phase of the project in 2017, Togo’s public works department referred to the road as Togo’s first expressway (voie expresse, the first in Togo) This makes the Lomé Ring Road not only an urban bypass but also a landmark project in Togo’s modern, high-grade road infrastructure.

According to China Road & Bridge Corporation, the completed Phase I project has received high praise from the client, the supervising engineer, and the public since its commissioning, and was subsequently cited in subsequent exchanges among African civil engineering experts as… Model Project in Togo 。

2. Project Background

The Lomé Bypass (Grand Contournement de Lomé) is located in Lomé, the capital of Togo. It is a high-grade urban ring road that bypasses the city center and connects Lomé Port, the national trunk road network, and the Togo–Ghana border.

According to China Road and Bridge Corporation, the road originates in the southeastern port area of Lomé, follows a semi‑circular route through the eastern and northern parts of the city, and connects to Togo’s major national highways:

RN2, RN34, RN1, and RN5.

The project’s core objective is to divert heavy freight vehicles and cross-border traffic entering and departing the Port of Lomé away from the congested central urban area, thereby enhancing the port’s outbound throughput capacity and improving logistics efficiency across the West African region.

The project is implemented by the public works authority of the Togolese government, with the principal construction contractor being:

China Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC, China Road & Bridge Corporation)

The project will be implemented in phases.

Phase 1: Lomé Port–RN1 / Golf Club

Phase one from Near the Port of Lomé Starting from, it extends northward to RN1 / Lomé Golf Club A belt.

Official Chinese Road & Bridge data uses the following length:

Approximately 14.1 kilometers.

The project was designed in accordance with China’s Class I highway technical standards, and its scope encompasses roadways, bridges, drainage systems, slope protection, traffic safety measures, and lighting facilities.

In March 2010, the Togolese side held a groundbreaking ceremony for Phase I of the project; according to subsequent project documentation from China Road & Bridge Corporation, Phase I was… Completed and opened to traffic in October 2014. , passed the preliminary acceptance in 2015.

Phase 2: RN1 / Golf Club–Noépé / Ghana Border

Phase II extends westward from the terminus of Phase I at RN1/Golf Club to Noépé and the Togo–Ghana border direction 。

Length of publicly disclosed engineering supervision documents:

Approximately 20.54 kilometers.

Accordingly, the total length of the main corridor of the Lomé Grand Ring Road, comprising Phase I and Phase II, is approximately:

34.6 kilometers.

Phase II is primarily financed by the Export-Import Bank of China, with China Road and Bridge Corporation continuing to oversee project implementation. According to publicly available information released by the Togolese government in 2018, this phase of the project is funded by Chinese capital.

In November 2019, the second-phase project was carried out. Provisional acceptance (réception provisoire) Subsequently, outstanding projects such as the expansion of the Noépé roundabout and public lighting were further completed.

Therefore, the current status of the Houde official website is recommended to be uniformly stated as:

“The main roadways for Phases I and II have both been completed and put into service, with the remaining localized ancillary works now being finalized.”

3. Engineering Challenges

3.1 Heavy-Load Port Traffic and Cross-Border Freight Pressure

The Port of Lomé is Togo’s most important international logistics gateway and one of the key ports providing maritime access to landlocked countries in West Africa.

The Lomé Ring Road not only handles ordinary urban traffic but also serves a large number of:

Container trucks, heavy-duty port vehicles, cross-border logistics vehicles, and transit traffic in the West African region.

China Road and Bridge has explicitly stated that one of the key objectives of the project is to enhance the transport capacity of the Port of Lomé.

Therefore, the road subgrade, base course, and asphalt pavement must withstand high axle loads and frequent heavy‑vehicle traffic over the long term, which places demands on:

Anti-rutting;

Anti-fatigue;

Subgrade bearing capacity;

The pavement structure is stable;

Long-term durability

Set higher standards.

3.2 Local high-quality road construction materials are in short supply.

One of the most representative technical challenges of this project is… The original design called for road construction materials that were in short supply locally. 。

The China Road & Bridge Corporation’s project summary notes that the original design proposed using lateritic gravel as a component of the pavement structure.

However, post‑project‑commencement investigations revealed that, owing to long‑term local mining activities, the reserves of materials meeting quality requirements in the project’s vicinity are insufficient to satisfy construction needs.

As a result, the construction team needs to restart:

Material investigation + laboratory testing + pavement performance verification + structural design optimization.

Ultimately, sandy soil from a nearby phosphate mining area was selected and, after cement stabilization, used as one of the materials for the road subbase.

This approach addresses the local shortage of materials while also reducing the costs and environmental impacts associated with sourcing high-quality natural materials over long distances.

3.3 Harmonization of Chinese Standards with French/Local Technical Standards

Togo’s engineering and technical system is distinctly rooted in the French‑speaking engineering standards framework.

Moreover, during the construction of the Lomé Ring Road, China’s road engineering technical system was extensively employed.

China Road & Bridge Corporation’s official summary clearly states that project quality control simultaneously involves Chinese standards and French standards 。

To address the differences between the two technical systems, the project adopts:

Trial section prior to construction → Construction in accordance with Chinese technical standards → Testing and verification according to French standards → Supervision approval → Formal commencement of construction

Quality control methods.

Accordingly, the project’s challenges extend beyond the roadway itself to encompass technical coordination among disparate engineering standards systems.

3.4 Drainage During the Rainy Season and Urban Flood Risk in Lomé

Lomé is situated in the coastal lowlands of West Africa, with parts of the city lying at low elevations, posing significant risks of runoff during the rainy season and urban flooding.

The European Union’s briefing on the Lomé urban drainage project notes that the city’s natural lagoons and drainage system have long been tasked with handling substantial surface runoff, while urbanization has further heightened flood risks. The relevant documentation also explicitly states that the construction of the Lomé bypass must take these factors into account. Drainage constraint 。

Therefore, road engineering must be addressed in a coordinated manner:

Side drainage;

Horizontal drainage;

Bridge and culvert drainage;

Stormwater runoff management;

Subgrade protection against soaking;

Water damage to asphalt pavements.

3.5 Large-Scale Land Acquisition and Road Right-of-Way Coordination

The Lomé Ring Road was not constructed entirely in uninhabited areas.

The construction project involves residential areas on the urban periphery, existing road networks, and land-use zones.

Phase II of the project was once due to Issues Related to the Release of Road Land and Land Acquisition Compensation Progress delays have occurred. Both the Togolese government and project records indicate that one of the key reasons for the schedule slippage was the clearance of the project’s red-line boundaries and the compensation of affected residents.

This imposes significant constraints on construction organization, the project schedule, and the synchronized advancement of different sections.

3.6 Performance of Asphalt Pavements in High-Temperature Coastal Climates

Lomé has a typical West African coastal tropical climate.

The road is exposed to high ambient temperatures over the long term and simultaneously accommodates heavy‑load port vehicle traffic.

This kind of “ High temperature + heavy load “Combination tends to exacerbate the risk of permanent deformation and rutting in asphalt pavements.”

Meanwhile, high humidity and the rainy season further underscore the importance of pavement resistance to water damage and aggregate adhesion.

Therefore, this project is a very typical example of:

Port heavy loads + high temperature and high humidity + urban bypass

Asphalt road application scenarios.

4. Use of Products / Houde Products Applied

For ring roads such as the Lomé Ring Road:

Heavy‑load port traffic + high‑temperature coastal environment + rainy‑season drainage + long‑distance asphalt pavement + localized constraints on material resources

The project can be tailored to suit different structural components with Hode:

SBS modifier, high-modulus rut‑resistant agent, high‑efficiency anti‑stripping agent, biaxially oriented plastic geogrid, and polyacrylonitrile road‑use reinforcing fiber.

Product Compatibility and Disassembly

SBS modifier

Suitable for high-temperature, heavy-load asphalt pavements in West Africa.

It can enhance the high-temperature stability and resistance to permanent deformation of asphalt mixtures, thereby improving their rutting resistance and overall pavement performance under the long-term loading of heavy port vehicles.

High-modulus rut-resistant agent

Applicable to urban peripheral expressways with a high proportion of heavy freight vehicles.

By enhancing the high-temperature structural stability and deformation resistance of asphalt mixtures, technical support can be provided to mitigate the rutting risk associated with long-term heavy traffic on port access roads.

High-efficiency anti-stripping agent

Suitable for Lomé’s humid, rainy climate.

It can enhance the adhesion between asphalt and aggregates, thereby reducing the risk of stripping, loosening, and water damage when rainwater penetrates the pavement structure.

Biaxially Oriented Plastic Geogrid

It is suitable for subgrade reinforcement, weak sections, and road structures requiring enhanced overall stability of the base course.

Under heavy traffic conditions at ports, it can provide material support for the overall stability of road structures, load distribution, and deformation control.

Polyacrylonitrile Road-Use Reinforcement Fiber

It is suitable for crack‑resistance and reinforcement applications in road materials and can enhance pavement performance in terms of crack resistance, fatigue resistance, and long-term durability.

5. Technical Solution

The core construction rationale of the Lomé Ring Road can be summarized as follows:

By integrating a four-lane, high-grade ring road, a port‑access transport system, interchanges and bridges, drainage works, and the optimized use of local materials, Lomé Port and several national trunk highways are linked to form a cross‑border logistics corridor that bypasses the city’s central business district.

5.1 Four-Lane First-Class Highway System

According to China Road & Bridge Corporation, the Lomé bypass was constructed using Chinese… Class I highway Standard design.

The main road cross-sections include:

The subgrade width is approximately 23 meters.

4 × 3.5-meter traffic lanes

Approximately 2 meters of paved shoulder

Approximately 1.5 meters of pedestrian facilities.

This standard enables the road to handle substantial port freight traffic and urban rapid transit.

5.2 Double-layer Asphalt Concrete Pavement Structure

The representative pavement structure of the project, from top to bottom, comprises:

5 cm fine-graded asphalt concrete surface course

8 cm medium-grained asphalt concrete layer

12 cm graded crushed stone base layer

30 cm cement-stabilized sandy soil subbase.

This structural scheme takes heavy‑load traffic into account while also incorporating adaptive adjustments to address the local shortage of natural road‑building materials.

5.3 Local Material Substitution and Cement Stabilization Treatment

Due to the shortage of qualified lateritic gravel near the project site, the construction team conducted tests on sandy soils from the local phosphate‑mining area.

Ultimately, the performance of sandy soil was improved through cement stabilization and used as the subbase layer.

China Road & Bridge Corporation regards this technological application as one of the project’s key material innovations and believes it has opened up new material sources for future road construction in the region.

5.4 “Chinese Standard Construction + French Standard Verification” Quality System

During project implementation, a single standard system is not adopted directly.

Prior to the commencement of each critical sub‑project, the contractor shall first construct a trial section, which will then be inspected and approved by the supervising engineer in accordance with the French standards.

After verification confirms compliance with the requirements, proceed to full-scale construction.

This approach reduces quality risks arising from conflicts among different standards systems.

5.5 Integrated Bridge, Drainage, and Protection Works

In addition to the main roadway pavement, Phase I of the project also includes:

2 medium-sized bridges

and also

Drainage works, protective works, traffic safety works, and road lighting works.

The project is not merely asphalt paving; it is a comprehensive urban bypass expressway system.

5.6 Port–National Trunk Road–Border Continuous Connectivity

The entire project is connected through:

Lomé Port → RN2 / RN34 → RN1 → RN5 → Noépé / Ghana border

Establish a logistics corridor that bypasses Lomé’s central urban area.

Its ultimate function is not merely urban traffic diversion, but also service provision:

Port logistics + domestic transportation within Togo + cross-border trade to Ghana + transit transport through West African landlocked countries.

6. Project Outcomes

Phase I opened to traffic in 2014.

China Road and Bridge Corporation has confirmed in its public filings:

The first phase, approximately 14.1 kilometers in length, was completed and opened to traffic in October 2014.

In March 2015, the project passed the preliminary acceptance inspection conducted by a joint inspection team comprising multiple departments of the Togolese government and relevant agencies, after which it entered the defects liability/maintenance phase.

Phase II connects in the direction of the Ghanaian border.

Phase II will extend approximately 20.54 kilometers from RN1/Golf Club toward Noépé.

As a result, the Lomé bypass has evolved from a simple port–RN1 link into a cross-border freight corridor serving the Togo–Ghana border.

Establish a port bypass spanning approximately 34.6 kilometers.

Upon the connection of Phase I, approximately 14.1 kilometers, with Phase II, approximately 20.54 kilometers, the main ring-city corridor will span approximately:

34.6 kilometers

A continuous road.

Its spatial structure enables vehicles from the Port of Lomé to reduce the need to traverse the densely populated central urban area.

Improve the port‑access conditions at Lomé Port.

The project’s most immediate economic benefit is the improvement of road transport connectivity between the Port of Lomé, Togo’s national trunk roads, and neighboring countries.

China Road & Bridge has explicitly stated:

Enhance the transport capacity of the Port of Lomé and promote Togo’s economic development.

Listed as the project’s primary construction benefits.

Alleviate freight traffic congestion in Lomé’s central urban area.

When large port trucks traverse the city’s central urban area directly, they not only cause congestion but also increase pressure on urban traffic safety and road maintenance.

Once the ring road is completed, transit and port freight traffic can be diverted to the outer-ring network.

In its Phase I completion report, China Road & Bridge Corporation explicitly stated that, upon the project’s full completion, urban traffic congestion in Lomé would be significantly alleviated.

Promote local employment and skills development

During the implementation of the first phase of the project, publicly available information from China Road & Bridge Corporation indicates:

More than 600 local technicians and machine operators have been recruited and trained.

As a result, the project has not only developed transportation infrastructure but has also provided practical opportunities for local road engineering personnel to build up their skills.

7. Key Figures

8. Value to China & Togo

The value to Togo

The most fundamental national value of the Lomé Ring Road lies in its ability to strengthen… Lomé Port—National Highway—Neighboring Country Border Logistical connections between them.

Lomé Port not only serves Togo’s domestic economy but also handles substantial transshipment logistics for landlocked West African countries and neighboring states.

The ring road connects the port to major highways such as RN2, RN34, RN1, and RN5, enabling heavy freight vehicles to bypass Lomé’s central urban area and enhancing the efficiency of port‑inbound and port‑outbound logistics.

For the city of Lomé itself, the project reduces the need for port‑related and transit trucks to enter the central urban area, thereby helping to lower:

Urban road congestion, traffic conflicts involving heavy vehicles, and operational stress on the road network.

From a regional perspective, the second phase extends toward Noépé and the Ghanaian border, thereby positioning the project as a link between:

Togo—Ghana—Côte d’Ivoire

and one of the key road hubs connecting to the inland markets of West Africa.

In the face of a shortage of local road‑construction materials, the project explored cement‑stabilized sandy soil as an alternative material source, thereby providing valuable technical experience that can serve as a reference for future road‑construction projects in Togo.

Value to China

The Lomé Ring Road is one of the flagship projects through which Chinese enterprises were among the first to engage in the construction of major transportation infrastructure in Togo.

China Road and Bridge Corporation entered the Togolese market around 2008, with Phase I of the Lomé Ring Road becoming a key landmark project in the country; since then, CRBC has continued to participate in Phase II and other road projects.

The project exemplifies the capabilities of Chinese engineering enterprises in:

Port‑to‑inland transport highways, urban expressways, asphalt pavement, adaptation of local materials, harmonization of Chinese and French technical standards, and the development of cross‑border logistics corridors.

Engineering organizational capabilities in various aspects.

From the perspective of Houde’s material solutions, this project exhibits typical characteristics:

High temperatures and high humidity in West Africa, heavy port loads, long-distance asphalt roads, and material resource adaptation.

Scene.

Therefore, it is well suited for showcasing profound virtue:

Asphalt-modifying materials + Rutting-resistant materials + Water‑damage‑resistant materials + Geosynthetic materials + Road engineering fibers

A representative case of road infrastructure in West Africa demonstrating comprehensive technical adaptation capabilities.

FAQ | Frequently Asked Questions

Q1: What is the Lomé Ring Road project in Togo?

The Lomé Ring Road is… Lomé Bypass / Grand Contournement de Lomé 。

It is a major port‑access road that bypasses Lomé’s central business district and connects the Port of Lomé to RN2, RN34, RN1, RN5, and the Togo–Ghana border.

Q2: How long is the Lomé Ring Road?

The project will be implemented in two phases.

Approximately phase one 14.1 kilometers 。

Phase II approximately 20.54 kilometers 。

The total length of the two main channels is approximately:

34.6 kilometers.

Q3: Are the Lomé Ring Road and the “Lomé Mini-Ring Road” the same project?

No.

The Lomé bypass in the Houde case corresponds to… Grand Contournement de Lomé / Lomé Bypass 。

The Togolese government later also implemented Small Bypass of Lomé Its partial renovation project spans approximately 8 kilometers and constitutes another urban road development.

Q4: Who built the Lomé Ring Road?

The main construction contractor for the project is:

China Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC, China Road & Bridge Corporation).

China Road & Bridge Corporation undertook the construction of the main works for Phases I and II.

Q5: What is the greatest technical challenge of the Lomé Ring Road?

Mainly includes:

Heavy traffic at the port, high-temperature and high-humidity conditions, a shortage of locally available high-quality pavement materials, harmonization of Chinese and French technical standards, drainage during the rainy season, and land‑acquisition coordination.

Among these, the shortage of qualified red‑clay gravel prompted the project to adopt cement‑stabilized sandy soil as a material substitute, making it one of the most representative technical practices in this engineering endeavor.

Q6: What pavement structure is used on the Lomé Ring Road?

A typical structure from the first phase disclosed by China Road & Bridge Corporation includes:

5 cm of fine-grained asphalt concrete + 8 cm of medium-grained asphalt concrete + 12 cm of graded crushed stone base course + 30 cm of cement-stabilized sandy soil subbase.

Q7: Which of Hode’s products are suitable for projects similar to the Lome Ring Road?

For heavy-load and high-temperature, high-humidity road projects at West African ports, customization is possible based on specific technical requirements:

SBS modifier, high-modulus rut‑resistant agent, high‑efficiency anti‑stripping agent, biaxially oriented plastic geogrid, and polyacrylonitrile road‑use reinforcing fiber.

These products correspond to:

High-temperature, heavy-load asphalt performance;

Anti-rutting;

Resistant to water damage during the rainy season;

Subgrade reinforcement;

Pavement crack resistance and fatigue durability.

Q8: Why is the Lomé bypass well-suited as a case study for road‑material solutions?

Because this project simultaneously possesses:

Heavy freight at ports, the hot and humid rainy season in West Africa, urban bypass traffic, a shortage of local materials, and cross-border logistics.

Typical application conditions.

These scenes collectively highlight the impact of large-scale African road projects on:

Asphalt exhibits high-temperature stability, rutting resistance, resistance to water damage, base-layer stabilization, and long-term durability under heavy loads.

It meets the comprehensive requirements for material performance, thereby serving as a strong representative of overseas highway material solutions.