World Bank approves US$156M project to upgrade, rehabilitate Guyana’s roads
Mar 01, 2025
-says country’s road mortality rate of 15 per 100,000 concerning
Kaieteur News- The World Bank has approved US$156M for a project to upgrade and rehabilitate the roadways of Guyana.
In a statement dated February 27, 2025, the Bank said that the project was approved by the Bank’s Board of Executive Directors.
Diletta Doretti, World Bank Group Resident Representative for Guyana.
“The $156 million Integrated Transport Corridors Project will focus on enhancing Guyana’s transport network in selected regions, ensuring it is better equipped to withstand natural hazards and provide safer, more reliable mobility for people,” the bank said.
The country’s road infrastructure currently faces several challenges, particularly in coastal regions, where the roads are highly vulnerable to extreme weather conditions. Smaller roads make up over 60% of the road networks, and many of them sit on low-lying coastal plains, highly exposing them to the impacts of rising sea levels, increased rainfall intensity, and more frequent weather events like storms and flooding.
In 2021, flooding caused over $100M in damages to the transport and agricultural sectors. It must be noted that poor road conditions hinder access to essential services like healthcare and education, economic activities are disrupted, and communities are isolated.
“Additionally, the road safety situation in Guyana is concerning, with a road mortality rate of 15 deaths per 100,000 population. The project will focus on upgrading and rehabilitating key road corridors in selected regions of Guyana, with a particular emphasis on improving resilience to natural hazards. It will implement critical infrastructure improvements such as enhancing drainage systems, stabilizing slopes, and raising embankments to prevent erosion to safeguard vital transport links that support agriculture, tourism, trade, and access to essential services like healthcare and education,” the World Bank said.
The project is expected to prioritize road safety and inclusivity by including a safety assessment of the entire primary road network and road safety audits for selected roads. This will be followed by the installation of the entire primary road safety engineering solutions like crash barriers and traffic calming measures.
There will also be dedicated lanes for non-motorized transport, such as pedestrians and cyclists, with special attention being given to high-risk locations like schools, hospitals, and markets.
Additionally, there will be mobility plans tailored to the needs of women and other vulnerable groups will feature in the project as well as road asset management systems, creating safer and transportation options.
“Guyana’s rapid economic expansion places increasing pressure on infrastructure, while the growing risks from natural hazards, such as flooding and storms, further challenge the country’s systems. This project will help Guyana’s road network keep pace with its growth by making it safer and more resilient,” said Diletta Doretti, World Bank Group Resident Representative for Guyana.
The project is funded through the World Bank’s International Development Association, the arm of the World Bank that helps the world’s low-income countries.
(World Bank approves US$156M project to upgrade, rehabilitate Guyana’s roads)
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