Improving safety and reducing risks remains a priority in transport infrastructure design, construction and maintenance.
UN Global Road Safety Week highlights the importance of reducing road traffic deaths, a high priority for the Papua New Guinea-Australia Partnership.
While road safety is developed through every design and implemented under the construction phase, maintenance is critical to ongoing safety and accessibility.
Working in partnership with the Government of PNG through the PNG-Australia Transport Sector Support Program (TSSP), the Australian government supports Papua New Guinea’s priorities for improved road infrastructure that will create access to markets and opportunities for more Papua New Guineans in a safe and sustainable way.
This includes routine inspections of road maintenance works in partnership with the Department of Works and Highways (DOWH).
A recent inspection was carried out for the Northern to Kokoda Highway long-term maintenance contract (LTMC) in Oro Province. It focused on previously identified problem sections of the 163km highway to ensure that the contractor, EJ Sisters, was complying with project safety standards and outcomes.
EJ Sisters, a PNG owned and operated construction company, works with TSSP and DOWH engineers to meet all planned contract outcomes and comply with road maintenance standards.
Apart from design and engineering construction standards, there are two other important aspects of the LTMC that contribute to road safety: vegetation clearing and control; and grading and repairing of the road.
EJ Sisters engages locals living along the highway to do this work.
Vegetation clearing and control is carried out three times a year along the entire highway and keeps the roadsides clear of tall grass and trees. This helps drivers maintain clear vision of the roadway ahead and avoid accidents.
Grading and repairing of the road ensures there is effective surface water runoff and drainage, particularly important in high rainfall. This is done twice a year along the entire highway before the road is smoothed and sealed.
Patrol grading ensures that roads are in the best possible state to preserve their condition and improve their life span, allowing longer term accessibility for road users.
The UN Global Road Safety Week is an opportunity to highlight the Papua New Guinea-Australia Partnership’s commitment to support “a safer, more reliable transport system (is) in place, enabling economic and social development for PNG”.
(Road safety: Grading being undertaken from Kokoda to Popondetta section of the Oro Highway)