Ethiopian Highway 2

The Ethiopian Highway 2 is a highway in Ethiopia. It connects the capital Addis Ababa with Mekelle, as well as with Wukro, Adigrat, Axum, Shire and Humera. Ethiopian Highway 2 has a length of 974 kilometers.

Highway 2
Route information
Length1,071 km (665 mi)
Highway system
Transport in Ethiopia

Route

Towns and cities along Ethiopian Highway 2 include, from north to south:

Mountain passes

There are three high-mountain passes on Highway 2:

  • Between Ambalage and Adi Gudem over the Alagi pass near Amba Alagi at a height of 3090 meters.
  • Between Maychew and Ambalage over the Alage pass at a height of 2990 meters.
  • Just west of Debre Sina, the national highway reaches its apex at 3120 meters, formerly the Passo Mussolini. A tunnel was constructed by the Italian occupants near the top of the pass.

The highway crosses the continental divide twice: once at Debre Sina and another time over the Alage pass north of Maychew.

Mekelle

Mekelle, the capital of the Tigray region, is located ten kilometers off the highway. A large road turns off to Mekelle at Kwiha, the center of the Enderta district. The detour to Mekelle adds thirteen kilometers. To follow Highway 2 to the north and get to Wukro, Adigrat and further more directly, one has to turn off in Kwiha and follow the road which crosses the plateau east of Mekelle. Highway 2 joins the Mekelle road detour at the village of Maimekden.

Railway

In the plans for a new Ethiopian railroad network, a railroad would be constructed from Addis Ababa to Mekelle, Shire and then to Humera roughly following the route of Highway 2.

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