THE VARIOUS DIMENSIONS OF SUSTAINABLE LOW-VOLUME ROAD PROVISION IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES

The purpose of this paper is to highlight a more holistic, innovative and sustainable approach to the provision of low-volume roads (LVR's), which are likely to increase the cost-effectiveness and efficiency of LVR provision, facilitate investment in road projects, enhance economic activity and contribute to poverty reduction in many developing countries. The effective and efficient provision of low-volume roads LVRs in many developing countries requires a major departure from traditional practice. Documentation relating to the provision of such roads is often based on technology emanating from Europe and the USA. Although these standard approaches have been revised to some extent, they are still often inappropriate for situations where locally prevailing conditions are very different from those for which the traditional approaches were developed. Traditional approaches have also tended to focus on the technical environment with inadequate consideration to the other inter-related environments. The result often has been lack of responsiveness to various stakeholders' requirements and a reduced likelihood of achieving sustainable solutions. It is now patently clear that new, more holistic, approaches, requiring a paradigm shift in thinking, are required if LVRs are to be provided on a more sustainable basis. It is also clear that there is a critical need to satisfy a variety of criteria operating within multi-dimensional environments. To be sustainable, LVRs need to be: (1) politically supported; (2) socially accepted: (3) institutionally possible; (4) technically appropriate; (5) economically viable; (6) financially attainable; and (7) environmentally sustainable, During the past 20 - 30 years, research has been carried out on low volume roads in developing countries, resulting in many innovative approaches that can provide highly beneficial and cost effective solutions. Unfortunately, less success has been achieved in promoting the uptake of the research results, which has led to a lack of awareness, technology transfer and implementation. All too often, new ideas and approaches are ignored by the foreign consultants and contractors appointed to design and build these roads. Even more disappointingly, local practitioners, all too readily, also fall back on stereotyped and often costly recommendations in out-dated Road Design manuals.

• Supplemental Notes:
  • Full conference proceedings available on CD-ROM.
• Corporate Authors:

  World Road Association (PIARC)

  La Grande Arche, Paroi Nord, Niveau 5
  F-92055 La Defense Cedex,   France 
• Authors:
  • Greening, PAK
  • Pinard, M I
• Conference:
  • The XXIInd PIARC World Road Congress
  • Location: Durban, South Africa
  • Date: 2003-10-19 to 2003-10-25
• Publication Date: 2003

Language

• English

Media Info

• Features: Figures; References;
• Pagination: 10p

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Contractors; Cost effectiveness; Design build; Developing countries; Economic and social factors; Environmental design; Financial analysis; Implementation; Investments; Low volume roads; Sustainable development
• Subject Areas: Finance; Highways; Operations and Traffic Management; Planning and Forecasting; Research; I72: Traffic and Transport Planning;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00987823
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Mar 2 2005 12:00AM