Millions lost in h’way closure

 By ELLEN TIAMU

FOR every day the Highlands Highway is shut down in Lae, it costs about K1.5 million in stranded cargo, a senior Works Department engineer says.

The PNG Road Transport Association estimated the figure to be about K500,000 five years ago but Works regional manager Brian Alois said the figure could have  tripled by now. 

He said with the onset of mining, gas and petroleum activities in the Highlands, Madang and Morobe, traffic along the highway would have increased significantly.  

Alois said it was important that the central highway connecting the coastal towns of Lae and Madang to the Highlands be well maintained so that economic and business growth was not affected.

Currently, an estimated 348,000 vehicles per month use the highway for business and leisure travel with the number of heavy vehicles making up 11,600 of the total.

Shorncliffe Construction has been maintaining the 165km section of the highway from the main sea port in Lae to Yang Creek in Markham at the border of Morobe and Eastern Highlands.

The company again won a three-year contract last year to conduct routine, specific and emergency maintenance works along the Morobe section of the highway To October 2015.

The Australian government is funding the project through its AusAID’s transport sector support programme.

Alois said a safe Highlands Highway would boost economic and social activities and deliver greater benefits at minimal cost.

He added that although consistent maintenance contributed to safer roads, accidents were still occurring because people were still driving at excessive speeds.

“In PNG, accidents are not only caused by poor roads, it is also caused by drivers’ negligence,” Alois said.