The World Bank’s Board of Executive Directors has approved a new project valued at US$156 million to support Guyana in upgrading and rehabilitating the country’s road infrastructure. The 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.
According to a release, Guyana’s road infrastructure faces several challenges, particularly in the coastal regions, where roads are highly vulnerable to extreme weather events.
Over 60 per cent of the road network consists of smaller roads, many of which sit on low-lying coastal plains, making them highly exposed to the impacts of rising sea levels, increased rainfall intensity, and more frequent extreme weather events such as storms and flooding, the release noted.
The most recent flooding event in 2021 caused over US$100 million in damage to the agriculture and transport sectors.
Poor road conditions hinder access to essential services such as healthcare and education, disrupt economic activities, and isolate communities. Additionally, the road safety situation in Guyana is concerning, with a road mortality rate of 15 deaths per 100,000 population.
The project, the Bank said, 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, stabilising slopes, and raising embankments to prevent erosion, safeguarding vital transport links that support agriculture, tourism, trade, and access to essential services such as healthcare and education.
The project will also prioritise road safety and inclusivity. This includes the safety assessment of the entire primary road network and road safety audits for selected roads, followed by the installation of road safety engineering solutions such as crash barriers and traffic calming measures, as well as the creation of dedicated lanes for non-motorised transport, such as pedestrians and cyclists.
Special attention will be given to high-risk locations such as schools, hospitals, and markets. Mobility plans tailored to the needs of women and other vulnerable groups will feature in the project, along with road asset management systems, creating safer and more inclusive 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.
