Capacity for safer roads and designs is being lifted in Papua New Guinea as part of the Mountainous Road Improvement and Resilience Program (MRIRP) funded by the Asian Development Bank (ADB), and supported by the Department of Works and Highways, DT Global and iRAP.

iRAP training was delivered to 21 engineers in Port Moresby on 13 and14 May as part of the MRIRP Program that will see the safety of road designs improved for the upgrade of the existing road to two-lane national highway standards, unlocking vital commercial and community access in the country.

Papua New Guinea is divided geographically by mountain ranges running east-west through the centre of the country. The capital, Port Moresby, is not accessible by road from the north, the Highlands, or the major towns of Lae, Madang, and Wewak.

Construction of a north-south Trans Island Highway connection is a priority traversing through rugged forests to climb over the mountain range, flanked by jagged ridges, rough and precipitous slopes, and occasional plateaus occupied by local food gardens.

DT Global Asia Pacific is undertaking a feasibility study and detailed engineering design for a section of this highway, and using the iRAP methodology, safety of the road designs for the 114km Bulolo to Nentindo road section will be optimised, improving access from Port Moresby to Lae.

The iRAP study will include a Star Rating assessment for vehicle occupants, motorcyclists, pedestrians and bicyclists, plus the development of a Safer Road Investment Plan to identify cost-effective countermeasures that can further improve the design to ensure it achieves a 3-star or better rating for all road users.

Building local road safety capacity is also a key goal. The training program to be delivered both as in-person workshops and online self-paced modules, will see up to 40 local engineers and stakeholders trained in use of the iRAP Methodology and Star Rating for Designs tool to support the project’s implementation.

The program will also help to create a cohort of iRAP Accredited engineers who can support making the country’s roads safer in the long-term.

Once constructed, the Trans Island Highway will significantly benefit the commercial interests and local communities of Papua New Guinea, who will no longer be forced to use expensive sea or air services to traverse the country.

The Department of Works and Highways First Assistant Secretary, Designs, Mr Benjamin Panga, said in his closing remarks, “This project and the associated iRAP training will be a vital part of ensuring we maximise the safety outcomes for all road users along the project corridor. The Department of Works and Highways can use the Star Rating for Designs methodology that we have learned how to use in the workshop run by DT Global and iRAP to ensure we can achieve a 3-star target for this new road upgrade and for our other major road upgrades in the future.”

Images credit: Luke Rogers