95223 June 9, 2010 Promoting an efficient, safe, and reliable roads system for the people of Papua New Guinea Approval Date: 26 June 2002 Closing Date: 31 December 2011 Total Project Cost: US$59.18 million Donors: World Bank (International Bank for Reconstruction and Development)— US$40 million Government of Papua New Guinea and Papua New Guinea Sustainable Development Program— US$19.18 million Implementing Agency: Department of Works and Transport  Restore the conditions and safety of national and provincial roads and bridges in participating provinces.  Strengthen participation of village communities and small to medium contractors in maintaining roads.  Improve the government’s planning and management of the roads sector to advance the quality of life for Papua New Guineans. BACKGROUND Papua New Guinea has experienced a severe decline in the condition of its roads and bridges. Insufficient maintenance of roads increases transport costs, reduces exports, and weakens accessibility to markets, hospitals, and schools. The supply and maintenance of roads and related infrastructure in the country is complicated due to the rugged, mountainous landscape, a widely dispersed population, and unconnected road networks. Further, the roads sector suffers from inadequate funding, land acquisition difficulties, law and order problems, a small base of private contractors, and limited private sector and community participation. ABOUT THE PROJECT The primary goal of the Road Maintenance and Rehabilitation Project is to promote an efficient, safe, and reliable roads transport system in the participating provinces. Without well-maintained roads, people lack sufficient access to markets, which has a direct impact on their income. Further, children are more likely to continue in school if there is a nearby road, and travel time to reach health services decreases meaning better and more timely access to treatment. The Road Maintenance and Rehabilitation Project consists of six components. The first of these is focused on the financing of road maintenance and the rehabilitation of national roads. The second component comprises annual routine maintenance of provincial roads. The third component consists of bridge maintenance, rehabilitation, and replacement of bridges on national roads based on a priority basis. Additionally, this also concerns the purchase of emergency bridges and parts. The fourth component comprises maintenance and replacement of bridges on provincial roads. The fifth component covers a number of consultant services and equipment purchases to support project implementation. These include project management, designs of roads and bridges to be restored or replaced, incremental operating costs, laboratory and other equipment, auditing services, and the strengthening of financial management and operational capacity. The sixth component provides consulting services and training in order to strengthen small- and medium-sized contractors, and provincial administrations, for road maintenance operations. This component will also update and improve bridge inventory and management systems. LOCATION Central, East and West New Britain, Manus, Morobe, and Oro provinces. RESOURCES  Project Details  Project Documents  Download Project Flier (483kb pdf)  CONTACT World Bank Task Team Leader Demetrios Papathanasiou Senior Infrastructure Specialist dpapathanasiou@worldbank.org