MP plans to re-route Bulolo highway

MENYAMYA MP Benjamin Philip says work needs to be done to re-route the Lae-Bulolo highway in Morobe which is currently being affected by debris washed down by the Kumalu River.
Philip when responding to The National last Friday, said locals from Menyamya had also lost vehicles while trying to cross the river.
He said this situation has existed for a long time now and was becoming worse over time.
“I feel, see that this road needs to be diverted.”
“It’s been ages, vehicles being carried away, lives are at risk.”
“Engineers giving advice to government need to come up with solution,” he said.
Earlier an executive of a company based in Bulolo shared similar concerns, saying the highway has to be re-routed to a new location.
PNG Forest Products (PNGFP) Ltd administration manager Ron Sneath told The National that the road could be impassable for one to three days, or up to 10 days at any one time.
The impact of the Kumalu River on the Lae- Bulolo highway in Morobe tends to be seasonal and it is particularly bad from November through to April.
Sneath said the road may be open for only a few hours or several days at a time during this period.
The problem first started more than 15 years ago and continues to disrupt the supply of food, fuel and essential supplies to the Menyamya and Bulolo districts.