Somare lauds review on Highlands Highway

National, Normal

MINISTER for Public Enterprises Arthur Somare has thanked Esso Highlands for conducting an exhaustive and definitive study on the Highlands Highway.
The study, presented to the Works Department and the National Roads Authority last week, had identified the cost involved in the upgrade of the highway.
Over five years, from 2011-15, it would cost between K837 million and K1.2 billion.
Under the plan, the road maintenance from Lae to Hides would cost between K140 million and K209 million, the road repairs from Lae to Hides would cost between K405 million and K586 million, the bridge repair from Lae to Mendi would cost K112 million to K153 million, the bridge replacement between Lae and Mendi would cost between K56 million and K84 million and the bridge replacement between Mendi and Hides would cost between K126 and K181 million.
Somare said: “A wholesome approach to fixing the Highlands Highway has become imperative as this is integral to the completion of the PNG LNG project by early 2014.”
He said a study of this scope and scale had never been carried out before by the PNG government or international aid agencies that had sunk hundreds of millions of kina into temporary fixes.
“This study now shows us the way forward in a detailed and comprehensive manner.
“It goes to the extent of even
disclosing the approximate
number of potholes now evident along the 759km highway – they number close to 1,000.”
The initial priority works designated in the study includes immediate repairs to five key sections –  Kassam Pass, Daulo Pass, Chimbu-Eastern Highlands border, the Western Highlands-Southern Highlands border and the area close to Mendi.
“Hardly a year goes by without major blockages in these areas caused by landslides, natural disasters and accidents. Under the proposal, these areas will be systematically upgraded in the next five years,” he said.