2.3 Cameroon Road Network Overview Road Security Axle Load Limits Bridges Road Class and Surface Conditions Distance Matrix Transport corridors CAR Chad Road from Douala to Ngaoundéré Road from Ngaoundéré to Kousseri Road from Ngaoundéré to Touboro Overview According to official statistics, there are about 50,000 km of roads in Cameroon, of which 5,000 km are paved. The road network, both paved and unpaved, is poorly maintained. Road Distance (km) Paved 5,133 Cameroon Road Network Unpaved 12,799 Tracks 59,657 Total 77,589 Classification Administering Agency Network Length National Roads Road Fund Cameroon 7041 km Provincial Roads Road Fund Cameroon 5616 km Departmental Roads Road Fund Cameroon 8075 km Rural Roads (classified) Road Fund Cameroon 12843 km Page 1 Rural Roads (non-classified) Road Fund Cameroon 16100 km The country’s road density is estimated at 7 km for each 1,000 km2. During the wet season, only paved roads remain passable. Traffic on unpaved roads may be restricted by rain barriers. Trucks can therefore be stopped for many hours. On many bridges the traffic of trucks is not allowed. Trucks must use deviations through rivers, but during the rainy season when the waters are high, passing through rivers bank may be impossible. The Road Fund of Cameroon was created in 1996 in order to implement the government policy on the road sector. Government efforts to improve the state /condition of Cameroonian roads are focused on a network of 27,000 km and the process is being undertaken. At N’Gaoundere, on the N1 to Garoua, the tarring process is ongoing. On the same road but from Maroua to Kousseri, repairs started in March 2018 are ongoing. Further road works on the new highway from Kribi to Yaoundé and from Yaoundé airport to the capital were planned but are currently stopped. The Banque Africaine de Développement (BAD) has provided a loan of 18 million euro in November 2018 for the rehabilitation of a portion of 365 km in North-West, covering five of the seven districts. This portion is part of a 255 million euro project designated to redo the Yaounde-Bafoussam-Bamenda axis. The project is scheduled to run until 2024. For more information on government contact details, please see the following link: 4.1 Cameroon Government Contact List Road Security Cases of carjacking and highway banditry are reportedly frequent, especially on the unpaved road stretches. Military escorts may be required on secondary roads in the northern part of the country. Axle Load Limits Vehicles’ payload in Cameroon must not exceed: Axle load limits: Simple axle : 13 mt Double axle : 21 mt Triple axle : 27 mt Maximum Authorized Load (PTAC): 28 mt maximum axle load authorized. Size: width 2.5 m / height 4 m With the introduction of authorized load legislation and weigh bridges, the maximum tonnage a truck can load is limited to 28 mt. The weight limitation has had an impact on the availability of trucks. Axle load limits CAMEROON Transit CAR Transit CHAD Page 2 Truck with 2 axles 21MT 21MT 21MT Truck with 3 axles 27MT 27MT 27MT Bridges On the paved roads, all bridges are built in concrete material. However, traffic on some of these bridges could be restricted for heavy trucks, especially when there is a risk of collapse. On unpaved roads, there are some wooden bridges, especially on the ‘West’ road from Douala to Ngaoundéré via Bafoussam. It is advisable to know the state of these bridges before sending trucks from Douala to Ngaoundéré using the ‘West’ road. Road Class and Surface Conditions Classification Road Description Class: National Roads Link the national capital Yaoundé to all 10 provincial capitals. It links also Cameroon to neighbouring countries. Class: Provincial Roads Link, inside the provinces, all division/departmental capitals to the provincial capital. Class: Departmental Roads Link, inside the division/department, all sub-divisions to the departmental capital. Class: Rural Roads (classified) Link main agricultural production areas to main markets in the concerned regions. Class: Rural Roads (non-classified) Managed by development companies or decentralized local collectivises. Provinces Superficie population Routes Routes en Routes en Routes Routes Total Km' bitunies terre terre non rurales rurales non routes classies prioritaires prioritaires prioritaires prioritaires Adamaoua 64 000 700 000 441 1350 651 605 1208 4255 Centre 69 000 2 400 000 921 1555 1532 3725 3303 11036 Est 110 000 750 000 346 1590 1455 868 715 4974 Extreme- Nord 34 000 2 650 000 589 1011 1088 1195 1501 5384 Nord 66 000 1 200 000 645 1044 1084 867 1147 4787 Littoral 20 000 2 150 000 478 773 302 708 718 2979 Nord- 16 000 1 800 000 205 841 67 1231 2160 4504 Quest Sud-Ouest 25 000 1 200 000 260 942 173 740 876 2991 Ouest 13 000 1 950 000 459 983 355 1473 1121 4391 Sud 47 000 520 000 574 1512 735 698 982 4501 TOTAL 466 000 15 292 000 4918 11601 7442 12110 13731 49802 Distance Matrix The distance matrix for the Cameroon Road Network can be found here: Annex 8 - Travel Distances Matrix (English) Attachment - Travel Distances from Major Towns to Neighbouring Countries Attachment - National Roads Attachment - Provincial Roads Source: Catalogue Road 2011 published by the Centre de Traitement de l’Information Numérique Page 3 Transport corridors The Douala corridor, used by WFP, other UN agencies and most NGOs, provides the main route for aid commodities ex-Cameroon to CAR and Chad. CAR According to the conventions between Cameroon and CAR of December 22nd 1999, legal roads to/from CAR are: In Cameroon Roads: Douala – Yaoundé – Naga/Eboko – Bertoua – Garoua Boulai Douala – Yaoundé – Abong/Mbang – Bertoua – Batouri Kentzou Douala – Yaoundé – Bertoua – Batouri Yakadouma Ngoka Border Combined roads (rail – road): Douala – Belabo – Bertoua – Garoua Boulai Douala – Belabo – Bertoua – Batouri – Kentzou Douala – Nagoundere – Meiganga – Garoua Boulai In CAR Roads: Bangui – Bouar – Baboua – Beloko Bangui – Camot – Berberati – Gamboula Bangui – Bossangoa – Pende – N’Dim – Bouar – Beloko Nola – Tomori Border Corridor Douala - CAR - Check-Point 1 in Yassa (Douala exit) - Check-Point 2 in Bertoua - Check-Point 3 Border office in Garoua Boulai at the border (PK0) with CAR (Beloko Road (PK2) Bouar-Bangui). - Check-Point 3’ Border office in Bombé (5km of the border (PK0) with CAR (Gamboula Road (PK30 –Berberati-Bangui). Chad Page 4 According to the conventions between Cameroon and Chad of April 13th, 1999, legal roads to/from Chad are: In Cameroon Roads: Douala – Yaoundé – Nanga-Eboko – Bertoua – Garoua-Boulai - Meiganga – Ngaoundere – Garoua – Maroua – Kousseri – Border Douala – Yaoundé – Abong/Mbang – Bertoua – Garoua-Boulai – Ngaoundere – Garoua – Figuil – Border Douala – Yaoundé – Abong/Mbang – Bertoua – Garoua-Boulai – Ngaoundere – Touboro Douala – Yaoundé – Abong/Mbang – Bertoua – Garoua-Boulai – Ngaoundal – Border Combined roads (rail-road): Douala – Ngaoundere (rail) Ngaoundere – Garoua – Figuil – Border Ngaoundere – Garoua – Maroua – Kousseri – Border Ngaoundere – Touboro – Border Douala – Ngaoundere (rail) Ngaoundal – Meiganga – Border In Chad Roads: Ngueli – Ndjamena Lere – Moundou – Sarh Larmanaye – Moundou – Sarh Gadjibian – Doba – Moundou Corridor Ngaoundéré - Chad - Check-Point 1 in Dang (Ngaoundere exit) - Check-Point 2 inKollé (Figuil north) - Check-Point 2’ Border office in Delelé (border with Chad) - Check-Point 3 Border Office in Kousseri (border with Chad and Ndjamena). Please see the annexes page at the following link for further information about the overland transport corridors, including information on weight bridges and checkpoints (annex 9) and information on penalties for infractions of timelines and rules for transit cargo (annex 10): 5 Cameroon Annexes Road from Douala to Ngaoundéré Ngaoundéré is the final station of the main railways line from Douala Port. Presently, there are two main road corridors from Douala to Ngaoundéré: 1. The main road via Garoua-Boulaï at the border with CAR, which is the legal/customs road. 2. The road via Bafoussam, also called the ‘west’ road, which should not be used for goods in transit to neighbouring countries, unless prior authorization is obtained from customs. 1) The road from Douala Port to Ngaoundéré via Garoua-Boulaï Location Details Origin Destination Town or city (closest) Douala Ngaoundéré Total Route (distance in km) 1,114 Road characteristics (over full distance) Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Total route time 4x4 (Days) 2 2 2 2 2 2 3 3 3 2 2 2 Passable by Car Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes 4X4 Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes (over full distance) Truck (rigid) Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Trailer Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Total route time for truck and trailers (Days) 3 3 3 3 3 4 5 5 5 3 3 3 Note: It should be mentioned that the road is passable at all seasons, although some stretches may be extremely difficult for trucks, especially during the wet season from June to September. Stretch 1: From Douala Port to ­­Yaoundé Distance from origin at start of stretch - km 0 Distance from origin at end of stretch - km 267 Route time on this stretch (4X4) – Hours 3 Page 5 Town or city (closest) Douala Class of road Highway Surface Asphalt Passable by Car, 4X4, Truck and Trailer The road from Douala Port to Yaoundé is the busiest highway in Cameroon, with many trucks, especially timber trucks. The road is narrow and accidents are frequent. The entrance of Douala and Yaoundé is often congested. Stretch 2: From Yaoundé to ­­Ayos