| Boulevard du 30 Juin | |
| Other Name: | Boulevard of June 30th |
| Former Names: | Boulevard Albert 1er |
| Owner: | City of Kinshasa |
| Length Km: | 5 |
| Location: | Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo |
| Direction A: | South to west |
| Construction Start Date: | 1912 |
The Boulevard du 30 Juin ("Boulevard of June 30th") is a major 5‑km street in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). It is the city center's main transport artery, connecting the southern area of La Gombe with Kintambo and the Ngaliema to the west.
In Kinshasa's urban history, the city evolved from the Belgian Congo settlement founded by Henry Morton Stanley in 1881 at Léopoldville (Kintambo-Ngaliema), situated to the west of the downtown area.[1] [2] [3] However, a subsequent settlement emerged just a few kilometers upstream at Chief Ntsuvila's village of Nshasha (Kinshasa commune-Gombe commune). Over time, the need for connectivity between these two centers became evident, facilitated by the Matadi–Kinshasa Railway line established in 1898.[4] [5] [6] [7] [8]
In 1912, District Commissioner Georges Moulaert advocated for consolidating the administrative units of Léopoldville commune, Kalina (now Gombe commune), and Ndolo, leading to the construction of a road connecting Léopoldville and Kinshasa.[9] As the commercial hub of the colony, Kinshasa commune's rapid growth outpaced Léopoldville, prompting the relocation of the port from Leopoldville to the Kinshasa commune a catalyst for further development. This progression laid the groundwork for the creation of a new boulevard when the Matadi–Kinshasa Railway line was reconstructed in 1923.[10]
In 1939, the vision of a grand boulevard gained momentum, with a monument honoring King Albert I of Belgium unveiled on the new Place de la Gare (now Place de l'Indépendance).[11] World War II temporarily altered these plans, but by 1942, the boulevard had extended to Avenue du Port (the intersection at the current Grand Poste). Following the war, key sections of the boulevard were paved, supporting the emergence of public transit for African workers.[12] [13]
In the early 1950s, urban planning aimed to impart an imperial grandeur to Léopoldville, with the boulevard at its core. By 1953, the boulevard extended five kilometers to Kalina, featuring structures like the Sabena buildings (designed by Claude Laurens), the Royal residential-commercial building (constructed by FORESCOM Building contractor Henri Trenteseaux), and a Le Corbusier-inspired apartment complex for civil servants.[14] [15] [16] [17] After Independence, while the boulevard's development remained relatively static, a symbolic renaming to Boulevard du 30 Juin took place on 30 June 1963, in honor of Congo's Independence Day from Belgium on 30 June 1960.[18] [19]
In 2006, President Joseph Kabila Kabange inaugurated the commencement of rehabilitation and modernization work on Route Des Poids-Lourds, Limete 14eme Rue, Boulevard du 30 Juin, and Boulevard Lumumba.[20] Kinshasa's governor, Kimbembe Mazunga, affirmed that Kinshasa's Town Hall settled all associated bills with its own funds. He emphasized that the Town Hall's financing covers costs related to sanitizing Boulevard du 30 juin and rehabilitating Route Des Poids-Lourds (from Pont Matete to Kinshasa Central Station), Boulevard Lumumba (from Limete Tower to Funa), and Boulevard Sendwe (from Avenue de la Funa to Kasa-Vubu Avenue). These projects were executed by the Compagnie Nationale Chinoise de Travaux de Ponts et Chaussées (CNCTPC). Parenthetically, the city's governor stated that Bokassa Avenue, where several issues have arisen, will undergo complete rehabilitation shortly, with the necessary means already available. By February 2011, Boulevard du 30 Juin and Boulevard Triomphal were fully rehabilitated and widened.[21]
On 25 August 2020, Kinshasa's governor, Gentiny Ngobila Mbala, initiated rehabilitation work for public lighting on key Kinshasa arteries, including Boulevard du 30 Juin, Boulevard Lumumba, Avenue Colonel Mondjiba, Avenue de la Justice, and Avenue des Batetela.[22] He projected a 14-day duration to replace conventional lights with energy-efficient LED lights. A total of 620 300-Watt LED bulbs were mounted on 320 metal poles along Boulevard du 30 Juin to Kintambo Magasin. Each pole housed two luminaires: one facing the road and the other the sidewalk. As of 16 December 2022, numerous streets throughout Kinshasa, even in economically disadvantaged urban areas, had been illuminated through rehabilitation efforts.[23]
Numerous national government offices are conveniently situated or have significant business presences on Boulevard du 30 Juin: