New Madang h’way soon

 ROAD users in Madang will soon have a new highway replacing the current road.

The proposed highway initiated by past provincial administrations is nearing reality thanks to an initial funding of K1 million by Governor Jim Kas. 

Usino-Bundi MP Anton Yagama also gave K300,000.

The money will be used to have clearing and grubbing work done on the pilot track used by logging companies in the area. Surveying will be done later.

From the Yal-Usino side, work on clearing bushes by youths has already started.

Madang provincial government’s Works director Hood Kasas yesterday confirmed this, saying work would begin at both ends and meet at the Bige River.

“Once they reach the river, we will have the pilot road widened with a bridge over the river as this new route will be like the junction of Western Highlands and Jiwaka when they want to travel to Lae or Madang,” Kasas said.

The current Madang highway has cost the Works Department more than K1 million every year to maintain.

According to a reliable source at the department, current works being carried out on the road include an AusAID-funded project valued at about K8 million which will see sealing from Mupu Bridge up to Biribiri mountain.

But that road will soon be deserted once the  new route is completed sometimes next year.

The current Madang highway will be left to PNG Power and Ramu nickel for the monitoring of their pipelines and power pylons.