The Butibum Bridge Project in Papua New Guinea Case Study Click on the following links for further information about this case study: Teacher's Notes   Student Activities Setting the scene An efficient road transport system is vital to the development of Papua New Guinea. For the people of Papua New Guinea, the most important road is the Highlands Highway which starts in Lae and runs up into the central highlands. The Highway and feeder roads have a total length of 2000 km. The roads carry substantial volumes of freight and form a vital link between the port and industrial facilities in Lae and the rich agricultural and mining developments in the highland regions. Because of the rugged terrain bridges are an essential element in an efficient road transport system. For example, in a distance of 63 km between Kisenepoi and Mendi, there are seven bridges. The Lae City Roads Project Lae is the second largest city in Papua New Guinea with a population of 85 000. Lae is built on a flat topped headland above the coast. The city is well laid out with plenty of trees and parks. The old airport where the airlines have their offices lies at the foot of the steep hill to the west of the town centre. South of the airport are the shipping company offices. Lae is a major port for the region and the highlands. Following requests from the Government of Papua New Guinea, the Government of Australia agreed to provide funding through AusAID to assist the Government of PNG to reconstruct selected Lae city roads. These roads had deteriorated through inadequate maintenance. Vehicle speeds were often reduced to walking pace. The condition of the roads had caused problems for the economy of Lae. Businesses had suffered through high freight and travel costs which were the result of excessive travel times and vehicle maintenance costs. The problem not only affected the inhabitants of Lae but also affected the highlands region which is supplied with essential goods from Lae. Firstly, the roads were maintained with potholes and surfaces repaired. Now the project is rebuilding the roads to far more robust specifications to allow for the heavy truck traffic to travel in safety without further damaging roads. The Butibum Bridge Project The second phase of the Lae City Roads Project commenced in 1994. Its aim was to improve the road network in Lae city to better serve the needs of the community by constructing a new dual-lane bridge over the Bumbu River. This replaced a single-lane bridge which was unsafe and poorly located. The new bridge has a safe pedestrian way and good lighting. It has contributed to the rights of women by ensuring safety and access. The new bridge is called the Butibum Bridge. It was constructed in a more suitable place so the road would not be closed by flooding. Tenants had to be resettled and landowners and tenants compensated when land was resumed for the new bridge and road approaches. The amount of dust and noise generated by the bridge and approach roads has been considerably reduced. The people of Buko settlement and Markham settlement living nearby have been the main beneficiaries from these improved environmental conditions. The new bridge has provided a more economical and safer transport route. This should foster the development of industry in new areas and benefit the people of Lae through the creation of new jobs. Click here to link to a comprehensive booklet on Australia's aid Projects in Papua New Guinea. Photos, maps and graphs feature throughout, giving a comprehensive description of Australia's aid program in PNG.   Top © Commonwealth of Australia