To Pave or Not to Pave : Developing a Framework for Systematic Decision-Making in the Choice of Paving Technologies for Rural Roads
Investments in road infrastructure as a means for granting access and mobility have been an important part of the World Bank's strategy of fightingpoverty and increasing shared prosperity since its inception. Studies suggest that road infrastr...
| Main Author: | |
|---|---|
| Format: | Report |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
World Bank, Washington, DC
2021
|
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/141031613492667996/To-Pave-or-Not-to-Pave-Developing-a-Framework-for-Systematic-Decision-Making-in-the-Choice-of-Paving-Technologies-for-Rural-Roads http://hdl.handle.net/10986/35163 |
| Summary: | Investments in road infrastructure as a
means for granting access and mobility have been an
important part of the World Bank's strategy of
fightingpoverty and increasing shared prosperity since its
inception. Studies suggest that road infrastructure triggers
economic development through reductions in transport and
trade costs, which in turn leads to upgraded access to
markets and social services (health, education,
administrative, leisure); fosters agricultural production;
alters production decisions; stimulates off-farm
diversification; and catalyzes other income-earning
opportunities. As a variate means to different ends, farmers
use rural roads to take their produce to markets; workers to
travel to their places of employment; tourists to head to
their destinations; the pregnant and sick to seek urgent
medical attention; children to get to school; transporters
to make their deliveries; and families and friends to visit
their loved ones. Bridging Africa's infrastructure gap
is key to overcoming the continent’s development challenges.
Road infrastructure is a key component of this effort.
Inadequate road infrastructure retards economic growth
potential by undermining the export competitiveness of
agricultural produce and other manufactured goods; curtails
the opportunity for employment and business development; and
impedes human development efforts in health and education.
World Bank estimates indicate that Africa needs 93 billion
dollars a year for its infrastructure sectors, with about
two-thirds of it required for new investment in physical
infrastructure, and the other third for maintenance and
operations. Of this amount, road infrastructure is expected
to take up about 18 billion dollars. |
|---|