Ethiopian Highway 2
The Ethiopian Highway 2 is a highway in Ethiopia. It connects the capital Addis Ababa with Mekelle, as well as with Adigrat and Axum. Ethiopian Highway 2 has a length of 1071 kilometers.
Route
Towns and cities along Ethiopian Highway 2 include, from north to south:
- Axum (2131m)
- Adwa (1907m)
- Adigrat (2457m)
- Freweyni (2480m)
- Negash (2375m)
- Wukro (1972m)
- Maymekden (2208m), connection to Abi Addi and Mekelle
- Kwiha (2247m), connection to Mekelle
- Adi Gudem
- Ambalage
- Maychew (2478m), connection to Mehoni
- Korem (2539m)
- Alamata (1520m)
- Kobo (1468m), connection to Lalibela
- Woldiya (2112m), connection to Gashena, Lalibela, Debre Tabor, Bahir Dar and Gondar.
- Mersa
- Wichale
- Dessie (2470m)
- Kombolcha, connection to Afar
- Debre Sirhan (2700m)
- Debre Birhan (2840m)
- Addis Abeba (2355m)
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 east of Debre Sirhan, the national highway reaches its apex at 3120 meters.
The highway crosses the continental divide twice: once at Debre Sirhan and another time over the Alagi pass near Amba Alagi.
Mekelle
Mekelle, the capital of the Tigray region, is located ten kilometers off the highway. The main 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 Adigrat 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 main 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, roughly following the route of Highway 2.