“For Solomon, a freight driver based in Hawassa, the journey north to Modjo used to take close to five hours—often longer, depending on road conditions. ‘You’d leave early and still arrive late,’ he recalls. ‘The road was narrow, always crowded, and sometimes unpredictable.’

Today, as Ethiopia moves toward the completion of the Modjo–Hawassa Expressway, Solomon’s experience is already changing. Travel times have dropped, driving conditions have improved, and the route now offers more reliable movement for freight operators and passenger vehicles alike.

The Modjo–Hawassa Expressway is Ethiopia’s second major toll road and the first expressway built to international standards, extending south of Addis Ababa. Spanning 202 kilometers, it connects growing urban and industrial centers—Modjo, Batu, Shashamene, and Hawassa—forming a strategic corridor for domestic trade and cross-border logistics.'”

From World Bank.