Roads in Botswana
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Botswana has a network of
Classification
Administration
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
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
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
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
Signage
Signage on the Botswana network conforms broadly to
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
References
- OCLC 50939190, retrieved 2022-05-19
- ISSN 1810-0163.
- )
- OCLC 223994740, retrieved 2022-05-19
- ^ "Ministry of Transport and Public Works - Botswana". www.facebook.com. Retrieved 2022-05-19.
- ISSN 0001-9852.
- ^ "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.
External links
