Liberia Launches First Post-War Road Maintenance Program
The Government of Liberia in partnership with the European Union has launched the first postwar maintenance program for asphalt paved road.
The maintenance program was launched on Tuesday, May 10, 2016 at Klay Junction, Bomi County.
The program is expected to last for 5-year and its objective is to perform routine maintenance on the Bo-Waterside Highway after more than two decades of intensive utilization without maintenance.
The road maintenance project is being funded by the European Union and United Kingdom under a project called “Build-Up Capacity and Preparedness of the Ministry of Public Works” through a European Union Grant.
The total cost of the project is put at US$1,502,295.48, and a local contractor, West Africa Construction Incorporated is the implementing contractor.
The Monrovia-Bo-Waterside Highway was originally constructed in the mid-80s by a South Korean Company, Daewoo.
The entire road length is 116.9kilometer and is currently one of Liberia’s best international highways. It connects Liberia with the Republic of Sierra Leone and also serves as one of the main trade routes between the two countries.
Speaking at the site turning over ceremony, Deputy Public Works Minister for Technical Services, Claude E. Langley said planning activities marking the commencement of the project started in 2014 following the signing of the agreement.
He said the road maintenance program will be implemented in two phases. Phase one; he said entails cutting of vegetation along the road, cleaning of drainages, shoulder restoration and patching of potholes, among others.
While phase two entails the initial repair work which includes maintenance of bad spots, failed/critical sections which according to him is required before the start of heavy rains. This aspect, the Deputy Public Works Minister noted is expected to be completed before June of this year to avoid what he termed as further “defects”.
“Our intent is to address all the critical sections of the road before the end of June when the rains will be very heavy and much work cannot be done”, the Works Technical Boss emphasized.
For her part, European Union Ambassador to Liberia, Tiina Intelmann, added that the contract will repair potholes, cut grass and clean ditches to ensure that the road corridor remains functional.
She disclosed that the European Union was working with the Ministry of Public Works to develop their capacity to manage road maintenance in the long term-even after the end of the current five years project.
Written by: Paul M. Kanneh-Edited by: Jesefu M. Keita-Photo by: Gregory Stemn
