Once a proudly paved artery during the administration of former President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, Pipeline Road has now fallen into such disrepair that motorists describe it as “nearly impassable” and “no longer a road, but a marketplace.”
The road, once a smooth corridor connecting communities to the bustling Red Light commercial hub has deteriorated into a labyrinth of potholes, mud, and roadside congestion.
The stretch between Central Red Light and the Daniel Chea Junction, one of the most heavily traveled sections, has become especially treacherous.
Residents say the Ministry of Public Works has not carried out meaningful repairs in years, despite repeated complaints and mounting safety concerns. As the road crumbles, vendors have taken over large sections, further narrowing the passage and exacerbating traffic chaos.
“It’s like the government has forgotten this area,” said one frustrated taxi driver who uses the road daily. “Every year it gets worse, and no one comes to fix it.”
A Road with History, and Neglect
Pipeline Road is one of Paynesville’s long-standing arterial routes, named after the Liberia Water and Sewer Corporation (LWSC) pipeline that runs beneath or alongside parts of the corridor.
During Liberia’s post-war reconstruction period under President Sirleaf (2006–2018), several portions of the road were rehabilitated as part of nationwide infrastructure upgrades.
But those improvements were never sustained. Rapid urbanization placed additional pressure on the roadway, while the absence of consistent maintenance allowed potholes and erosion to spread unchecked.
As commercial activity around Red Light expanded, the shoulders of the road became a makeshift market, gradually encroaching onto the driving path itself.
Today, many community members say Pipeline Road is among the worst in the city-and a glaring example of the consequences of long-term infrastructure neglect.
Local residents, transport operators, and business owners are renewing their calls for government action. They warn that without immediate repairs, the roadway may soon become completely unusable, cutting off access to one of Paynesville’s busiest commercial zones.
“We just want the government to see what we’re going through,” said a shop owner near the Daniel Chea Junction. “Fixing this road would change everything for us.”
Videos footages show deep craters, stalled vehicles, and roadside market sprawl, are circulating widely in a renewed push for the government to prioritize the road’s rehabilitation.
Many residents and commuters have expressed fear over the worsen conditions of the corridor thereby further endangering motorists and hindering commerce along one of Paynesville’s most vital routes.
